How Does Harding Use Conflict In Hamlet

“Conflict is the beginning of consciousness”- M. Hesther Harding. The ability to choose or decide during a conflict is a unique feature of being a human. Complex thoughts and concrete decision-making skills are possible due to this feature. This ability is put to test in the play Hamlet by Sir William Shakespeare by the title character Hamlet during his ‘To be or not to be’ monologue which “ is the center of Hamlet, at once everything and nothing, a fullness and an emptiness playing off each other. It is the foundation for nearly everything he will say in Act V, and can be called his death-speech-in-advance, the prolepsis of his transcendence” (Bloom 409). According to Carl Jung’s theory of the psyche, Hamlet’s contemplation of life and death

This can be seen throughout the play where he is determined at one point and starts to doubts himself later. His determination on taking revenge on Claudius after the appearance of the ghost changes as he starts to think what if “The spirit that I [he] have seen / May be a devil, and the devil hath power / T ' assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps, out of my weakness and my melancholy, as he is very potent with such spirits"(2.2.585-590). Having the ability to contemplate in one thing but not being able to come to a decision or being influenced to make a certain decision lies within hamlet’s unconscious mind. In his unconscious mind he is afraid of the outcome of his decision because according to Carl Jung’s personal unconsciousness theory states that the unconscious mind “is really nothing but the gathering place of forgotten and repressed contents, and has a functional significance”(Jung). Repressed memories turn into either fear or confidence depending on the memory in their unconscious mind. Hamlet’s memories of his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage to his uncle have traumatized him which resulted in depression. Some of the symptoms of depression are to doubt one’s self and inability to make decisions thus; it affects his cognitive thinking process without his own knowledge. Ultimately the unconscious mind of hamlet influences his conscious mind on contemplating life and death where he is not entirely firm with making a decision. His memories were traumatizing which led to a negative effect on his cognitive thinking but if one has to have a happy memory it will have a positive effect on their cognitive thinking such as being an optimistic and a confident thinker. This explains and reflects that people’s actions and decisions are influenced by their unconscious mind because most humans are able to have repressed