ipl-logo

Hamlet Psychoanalytic Analysis

1366 Words6 Pages

Mothers-in-law have always had the reputation of being a hassle. This very true for the character Ophelia in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hamlet portrays the story of young Prince Hamlet and the events that unfold in his life after his father’s death. With his mother, Gertrude, hastily remarrying his uncle, Claudius, and his love interest, Ophelia, slipping away, it’s no wonder that Hamlet seems to be going mad. But what if these events aren’t just factors to Hamlet’s madness? What if these situations are domino effects of each other? In Teaching William Shakespeare 's Hamlet from Multiple Critical Perspectives by Douglas Grudzina, there is a critical perspective called “psychoanalytic/Freudian theory.” The chapter details that with this perspective, “One will further understand that a character’s outward behavior might conflict with inner desires, or might reflect as-yet-undiscovered inner desires.” Outwardly, Hamlet may be treating Ophelia in a rude and disrespectful manner, but inwardly, he struggles with much more that had nothing to do with her personally. Instead of turning to the girl he loved for comfort and support, he shut her out in order to protect himself from what he saw as another opportunity to be hurt. Through language in the play and other psychological factors, it is evident that Gertrude marrying …show more content…

In Act III, Scene 1, Shakespeare presents a scene in which Hamlet and Ophelia discuss their relationship. Hamlet speaks in puns and ambiguities and accuses Ophelia of being a seductress. He urges her to either join a brothel or a convent and after this conversation, Ophelia speaks to herself of the changes in Hamlet saying, “And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his music vows, now see that noble and most sovereign reason like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh; that unmatched form and feature of blown

Show More
Related

Depression And Anger In Hamlet

948 Words | 4 Pages

King Hamlet loved Gertrude with all his heart that he “might not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly” this represents true unforgettable love. Hamlet is exasperated about his mother’s hasty marriage that he claims a “beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer”. Gertrude’s hasty marriage with Claudius seems to Hamlet as done with “wicked speed to post with such dexterity to incestous sheets” showing Hamlet is disgusted with this relationship and aggressively disapproves to this action. Further into the play Act 3 Scene 2, Hamlet is having a conservation with Ophelia when he mentions “look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within two hours” showing anger towards the happiness of his mother. Throughout the play Hamlet uncovers horrible deeds his uncle has committed, which were “Remorseless, Treacherous, lecherous”.

Read More

Examples Of Insanity In Hamlet

1154 Words | 5 Pages

When Ophelia returns all his letters and gifts he tells her that he has never loved her and that she should “get thyself to a nunnery.” This is one example how his mood changes throughout the play. Then after all this her father, Polinous, is murdered by Hamlet. The Hamlet is sent away to England All of these actions result in her feeling such stress that she becomes insane in the end.

Read More

Hamlet Compare And Contrast Hamlet And Ophelia

932 Words | 4 Pages

Ophelia goes mad throughout the story. She is overwhelmed by the loss of her father and the rejection of Hamlet. Her character is seen spiraling down a dark path that also ends in death. Ophelia is depicted as not having control over her actions; speaking and acting erratically. While Hamlet is speaking erratically and behaving oddly, he still maintains control over his actions and movement throughout the story.

Read More

Internal Events In Hamlet

1410 Words | 6 Pages

Gertrude is Hamlet’s mother and the Queen of Denmark. When King Hamlet is murdered by Claudius, she didn 't seem to daunt her and shortly thereafter got married to Hamlet 's Uncle Claudius. This gives a suspense in this point of the play because it makes the audience think about if Gertrude had anything to do with the murder of her husband or if she helped plan the murder with Claudius. When Gertrude married the person that killed her husband, Hamlet takes it personal and she basically loses her son because he 's so upset with her.

Read More

Misogyny In Hamlet And Ophelia

651 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet’s views on women is adulterous which pertains to the misogynistic tendencies in the play; thus, Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, sparks up his misogynistic approaches. Hamlet is repulsed with Gertrude since she was quick to re-wed immediately following Old Hamlet’s death and cries: “She married. O, most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (1.2.156-157). Hamlet is shocked that his mother remarries to Claudius, Old Hamlet’s brother, before letting the tears on her cheek to dry.

Read More

Psychological Events In Hamlet

1140 Words | 5 Pages

In the Tragedy of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, some of the most significant events are mental or psychological events that make the audience feel and have an emotional connection with the characters. These significant events can be awakenings, discoveries, and changes in consciousness that set off a mental or psychological effect to the readers. The author, Shakespeare, gives these internal events to characters such as Ophelia, Gertrude, and Hamlet throughout the play to give the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action. Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and the sister of Laertes who both tell her to stop seeing Hamlet. To Polonius, Ophelia is an eternal virgin who is going to be a dutiful

Read More

Ophelia's Soliloquy Essay

905 Words | 4 Pages

In Act III, scene i of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, readers will come upon Ophelia’s soliloquy. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have failed to find a reason as to why Hamlet is acting in a peculiar and mad way, Claudius is persuaded by Polonius that the reason for Hamlet’s madness is the broken romance between Hamlet and Ophelia. To prove this, Claudius and Polonius plan to spy on Ophelia’s meeting with Hamlet. During their conversation, Hamlet denies ever having loved her and curses her. Ophelia is left fretting over his sanity.

Read More

Paradox In Hamlet And Ophelia

1389 Words | 6 Pages

Saying this, Hamlet’s behavior towards Ophelia is crude, rough, and full of anger. Despite Hamlet’s harsh treatment towards Ophelia, he really did love her, but because she was not his main focus, the

Read More

An Analysis Of A Jungian Lens In Shakespeare's Hamlet

1221 Words | 5 Pages

“This Above All: To Thine Own Self Be True” A Look at Shakespeare’s Hamlet through a Jungian Lens Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is the longest play he ever wrote and would take an estimated five hours to perform. Viewing Hamlet alongside Jungian Psychology adds an analysis that cannot be seen otherwise.

Read More

Hamlet A Misogynist Analysis

937 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet once again fails to understand that Ophelia much like himself is only trying to stay loyal to her father, much like what he is doing himself. In addition, Hamlet blames woman for giving birth to such evil and deceiving men like Claudius and himself. When he was talking to Ophelia he told her "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better

Read More

Hamlet: The Cause Of Ophelia's Suicide

745 Words | 3 Pages

They did sleep together, and then Hamlet told Ophelia that she needed to go to a nunnery and that he would never marry a girl who slept around. Ophelia's feelings turned around and she felt very disrespected by

Read More

Examples Of Misogyny In Hamlet

396 Words | 2 Pages

He resents his mother because she did not hesitate to remarry immediately following the passing of King Hamlet; in Hamlet’s eyes, she cannot live independently because she is a fragile, powerless woman as all women are. Hamlet says, after complaining about Gertrude’s hasty remarriage, “frailty, thy name is woman” (1.2 150). His judgment of his mother’s character led to his generalization of all women being frail and helpless. Hamlet extends this judgment to his evaluation of Ophelia’s character. He believes that because she is female, she must be deceitful and adulterous.

Read More

Hamlet Role Play Analysis

1313 Words | 6 Pages

Over the course of Hamlet, many of the main characters engage in role play as a mechanism to achieve their own interests. Prince Hamlet is one of these characters, and his act proves to be one of the most important aspects of the play. Throughout the play, role-play (especially Hamlet’s) significantly affects the plot, and ultimately strains the relationships between several characters. Hamlet is among one of the most important characters to engage in role play. In act one, scene 5, shortly after being told that Claudius killed his father, Hamlet tells Horatio and Marcellus that he plans to feign madness, and he says, “As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition

Read More

Hamlet's Attitudes Towards Women

1056 Words | 5 Pages

In act one Gertrude marries her dead husband 's brother Claudius, Hamlet is not very happy that his mother did this. Hamlet feels very betrayed by his own mother because she remarried so quickly. He feels as if this is an unforgivable

Read More

Hamlet: A Psychological Approach In Shakespeare's Hamlet

1673 Words | 7 Pages

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (I.v.90). Hamlet is about a young prince who is mourning the loss of his father. He then tries to seek revenge on his uncle Claudius because he poisoned his father. Throughout the play Hamlet’s behavior starts to change which causes him to become mad. The theory about all this is a Psychological Approach.

Read More

More about Hamlet Psychoanalytic Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document