A Psychoanalytic Reading Of Hamlet Essay - 2158 Words

Shamah fatima Prof. Hussain Azam Shakespeare 4 December 2016 A Psychoanalytic Reading of Hamlet William Shakespeare s Hamlet is different from other Elizabethan revenge plays in the sense that the playwright did put much effort in depicting the psychological make-up of his hero Hamlet. The way Shakespeare portrays the psychological complexities of Hamlet, the play has become a lucrative text to the critics to see through the psychoanalytic lens. Analysis of Hamlet using psychoanalytic criticism reveals the inward states of Hamlet’s mind. Among the various aspects of Hamlet’s character, the thing that instantly draws our attention is his relation with his mother Gertrude. It is here the psychoanalytic critics opine that Hamlet has an Oedipus Complex to his mother. Freud developed the theory of Oedipus complex, whereby, says Freud, the male infant conceives the desire of eliminate the father and become the sexual partner of the mother. Hamlet, too, has several symptoms to suffer from Oedipus Complex. Hamlet’s Oedipus Complex: A fundamental basis for all of Freudian psychology resides in the Oedipal feelings which Freud believed are common to all male children. The major psychological distinction between one person and another was said to come from the way the person handled those feelings and the way that handling was represented in everyday life. Freud is categorical about the existence of the Oedipal impulse: â€Å"It is the fate of all of us, perhaps, to direct our first sexualShow MoreRelated Psychoanalytic Analysis of Shakespeare?s Hamlet Essay1291 Words   |  6 Pages If one wants to truly understand the psychological implications of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the primary focus should be on the character Hamlet, and how he develops and modifies throughout the play. Using the fundamentals of the psychoanalytic perspective of critical evaluation, one would be able to truly identify and explore the true nature of Hamlet, and the effects that his character has on the situation surrounding him. In order to gain a true understanding of most of the detail that isRead MorePsychoanalytic Analysis of Shakespeares Hamlet1341 Words   |  6 PagesIf one wants to truly understand the psychological implications of William Shakespeares Hamlet, the primary focus should be on the character Hamlet, and how he develops and modifies throughout the play. Using the fundamentals of the psychoa nalytic perspective of critical evaluation, one would be able to truly identify and explore the true nature of Hamlet, and the effects that his character has on the situation surrounding him. 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My previous studies of Hamlet, as well as my rereading of the play this semester, has collectively given me a general knowledge of the text. My familiarity of the play made it easier for me to decipherRead MoreA Freudian View of Hamlet1014 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Kenneth Thomson Acting Out May 2, 2012 Freud’s View of Hamlet My paper will use Dr. Sigmund Freud’s psychological outlooks to analyze possibly the most famous characters in English literature. William Shakespeare’s very own Hamlet. Psychology has been studied since the eighteen hundreds and, after reading through many of Freud’s studies on psychoanalytic culture I feel as though Hamlet is the most deserving of further analysis for this paper. 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