Psychoanalysis Of Hamlet - 1171 Words

Psychoanalysis of Shakespeare’s Hamlet In the world of literature, drama is one of the more subconsciously relatable and personable subgenres. Fiction and poetry may convey common events or stories, but drama uniquely presents them before the audience’s eyes, where every detail is analyzed and absorbed. Because drama is physically portrayed through actors, the audience members process body language and physical aspects of the stage in conjunction with the spoken script, to piece together individual interpretations of the story. The combination of physical and verbal aspects of drama causes there to be many different interpretations or analyses of plays and movies. For example, there is a controversial debate over the theme of madness in†¦show more content†¦The first signs of Hamlet’s downward spiral of insanity follow immediately after the Ghost tells him that Claudius killed his father, as Hamlet starts to eagerly speak of things that make no logical s ense. Hamlet whole-heartedly believes the words of this â€Å"ghost,† which very well could have been a hallucination, and becomes excitedly obsessed over avenging his father’s death. This dramatic shift in Hamlet’s mood, combined with the circumstances of mystery surrounding the ghost, leave even Hamlet’s close friend, Horatio, concerned as he states that Hamlet is speaking â€Å"wild and whirling words† (I.ii.134). Forbes concurs that â€Å"this is the first allusion to the wildness and unnaturalness of Hamlet’s disposition† (123). Further evidence of Hamlet’s increasing madness occurs when Hamlet kills Polonius without cause and then continues to severely criticize his mother (III.iv.25-105). The murder of Polonius only causes other characters distress, such as Ophelia, who eventually commits suicide. It can only be gathered that Ophelia reached this point of desperation and helplessness due to Hamlet’s influence. His famous â€Å"to be or not to be† monologue within the play clearly portrays that Hamlet was struggling with the idea of how and why he should continue to exist and live life at its fullest when he has lost someone dear to him (III.i.57-91). It is not surprising that Ophelia reciprocated Hamlet’s helpless attitude, nor that she followed through withShow MoreRelatedPsychoanalysis of Hamlet Essay4024 Words   |  17 PagesHamlet has been praised and revered for centuries as one of William Shakespeares best known and most popular tragedies. Based on its popularity, critics alike have taken various viewpoints and theories in order to explain Hamlets actions throughout the play. The psychoanalytic point of view is one of the most famous positions taken on Hamlet. Psychoanalytic criticism is a type of literary criticism that analyzes and classifies many of the forms of psychoanalysis in the interpretation ofRead MoreEssay on Inside the Head of Sigmund Freud1568 Words   |  7 Pagesof the unconscious mind and for creating the clinical process of psychoanalysis, which treated psychopathology by using the â€Å"talking cure†. The talking cure is best known as a one to one talk between the patient and the doctor. He is also known for his radical and complex theories such as the Oedipus complex, and the Electra complex. His fields include neurology, philosophy, psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Many question his authenticity since there is no proof or recordRead MoreThe Superego and Hamlet Essays1435 Words   |  6 Pagesarticle, Shakespeare and Psychoanalysis: Tragic Alternatives: Eros and Superego Revenge in Hamlet, the author, Joanna Montgomery Byles, focuses on the psychological origins of revenge in Hamlet. A lso the concept of the superego, both individual and cultural are brought up; and the importance of understanding the dynamics of aggressive destruction in Shakespeare’s tragedies involving revenge. The Freudian superego is usually thought of as heir to the Oedipus complex. In Hamlet himself, hate and destructivenessRead MorePsychoanalysis : Reconstructing The Feminine Identity Essay1157 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet in Psychoanalysis: Reconstructing the Masculine Identity How do individuals become a part of the psychoanalytic mind when desires are present? The founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, supposed that there were certain stages that an individual partakes in, which involved models dealing with early childhood age. These models were in connection to the psychoanalytic mind, which includes the conscious and subconscious (Parker, pg. 119). Freud explains how there are desires that are availableRead More William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet Hamlet has been praised and revered for centuries as one of William Shakespeares best known and most popular tragedies. Based on its popularity, critics alike have taken various viewpoints and theories in order to explain Hamlets actions throughout the play. The psychoanalytic point of view is one of the most famous positions taken on Hamlet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychoanalytic criticism is a type of literary criticism that analyzes and classifies many of the forms ofRead MorePsychology Of The Piece Of Literature1223 Words   |  5 PagesPsychoanalysis is a type of criticism focused on the psychology of the piece of literature. Through the analysis of the psychology behind a work, a conclusion can be made about it’s meaning. Psychoanalysis plays a huge role in the play Hamlet. In Hamlet, William Shakespeare utilizes id, ego, superego, the oedipal complex, and depression to show how Old King Hamlet’s murder and Gertrude’s marriage to Claudius causes Hamlet to eventually go mad. Sigmund Freud coined the term Oedipal Complex to describeRead MoreSigmund Freud : A Scientific Theory956 Words   |  4 Pagesthe psychodynamic perspective and believed that most human behavior is caused by dark, unpleasant, unconscious impulses pressing for expression (King). When Freud came up with psychoanalysis he discovered a new science and incorporated a new scientific method of dealing with the mind and mental illnesses. â€Å"[Psychoanalysis] has the appearance of being not just a scientific theory but an enormously strong one, with the capacity to accommodate, and explain, every possible form of human behavior,† (Thornton)Read More A Freudian Reading of Hamlet and Titus Andronicus Essay2542 Words   |  11 PagesA Freudian Reading of Hamlet and Titus Andronicus  Ã‚     Ã‚   In 1900 the eminent Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud produced a seminal work entitled The Interpretation of Dreams which contains the idea that dreams allow psychic exploration of the soul, that dreams contain psychological meanings which can be arrived at by interpretation. Freud states that â€Å"every dream will reveal itself as a psychological structure, full of significance, and one which may be assigned to a specific place in the psychicRead MoreExamples Of Revenge Tragedy In Hamlet1033 Words   |  5 Pagesseeking this revenge is the protagonist and the plot is usually developed throughout their journey to get their rightful revenge. Revenge tragedy is also the central conflict within a literary work. In the play, Hamlet,Young Fortinbras, and Laertes are all examples of revenge tragedy. Hamlet ironically isn’t a person that shows to have the desire of seeking revenge and this is ironic because most of the time the protagonist of a revenge tragedy work desi res revenge. Revenge tragedy often sees â€Å"thatRead 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. I will analyze the two Freudian concepts that