The unique relationships in Oedipus serves as the center for the plot and depict such a distinctive relationship as to have a complex named after the relationships. Oedipus unknowingly married and had children with his mother, a heavily tabooed premise, which would typically be characterized as an unhealthy relationship, exhibits none of the typical signs. Oedipus ruled Thebes fairly with Jocasta, and appeared to have been a faithful husband and good father, all conventional signs of a healthy relationship. The dynamic of Oedipus and Jocasta's relationship changed, rightly so, with the knowledge of Jocasta being Oedipus's mother. The relationship rapidly shifted to unhealthy, ultimately resulting in Jocasta taking her own life.
The interesting aspect of the relationship, is that the underlying cause for the unhealthy relation, that Oedipus married his mother, was always there. It was only with the information being presented to them that the relationship turned unhealthy. Oedipus' marriage to his mother only effected their relationship when they were aware, indicating that the situation had no subconscious or innate effect upon their relationship.
