Ericka Barba

Balt
AP Literature period 2
September 12, 2014
Hamlet has been known for centuries as one of Shakespeares best known and most
popular tragedies and so critics have taken various viewpoints on it, psychoanalytical being a
very common one. The dictionary defines psychoanalysis, as a form of therapy by investigating
the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind. In order to understand the
idea of the psychological insinuations of Shakespeares Hamlet, the audience should focus on the
character Hamlet and how he is changing and developing throughout the play. By using the basic
principles of the psychoanalytic critical theory we are able to efficiently grasp an understanding
of the true nature of Hamlet and the effects that his character has on the situation he confronts.
We can gain this understanding of most of the detail implied by Hamlets way of portraying
himself and his actions carried throughout the play.

Sigmund Freud was the main creator of psychoanalysis as there were others who
expanded on the topic; however Freud also introduces the theory known as psychosexual stages
in his interpretation of Dreams which can very much relate to the great tragedy, Hamlet. Freud
generated this psychoanalytical personality theory, consisting of id, ego, and superego, three
personality traits which a person's actions are all based on.

The id is the true wanting of a person, only judging a situation with the feelings of what
the person desires and thinks. The super-ego is the judgments with societys advice or

suggestions. The ego is the combination of both the id and the superego like what Freud once
said, "The ego looks at both the person's feelings and his/her surrounding to choose which path
he/she should take ". Hamlet looks at both what he wants to do and what others expect of him.
He then chooses which path he should take, for example, either kill Claudius at a certain point or
just wait until the next time. Like mentioned in the speech "To Be or Not To Be":

"To be or not to bethat is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings
and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by
opposing, end them. To die, to sleepno moreand by a sleep to say we end the heartache
and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to'tis a consummation devoutly to be
wished "(123).

In this speech Hamlet wonders whether he should take action and reveal to everyone that
Claudius is the murderer of his father or should simply wait until a better opportunity to come
by. Even though the ego combines of both the id and the super-ego it is not always stable. The
ego is always changing; it does not stay constant. It can either relate more to the id or it can
relate more to the super-ego depending on which one has the most influence on the person,
which in this case is Hamlet.

The psychosexual stages the Freud asserts are best described as personality developed as
one grows up. According to Freuds psychosexual theory/ Hamlet would be repressed in the
third stage of development, called the phallic stage or the Oedipus complex. Hamlet is bound to
feel irate not only because of Claudius murdering his father but now he is having relations with
Gertrude (Hamlets mother) and is essentially taking her away from him, which fuels his anger
towards his mother throughout the play. This comes across as his mother being unfaithful to his

father, making Hamlet believe that everyone is like that and therefore he cannot trust anyone,
especially women. In the film, Hamlet makes it evident to Gertrude that he disapproves of his
uncle and her having relations of any sort however, some critics such as Laurence Oliver say that
Gertrude eventually catches on and even rejects Claudius affections. The mourning in Hamlet is
what creates such scandal throughout the play, since Gertrude is portrayed as a peacemaker and
represents the female heritage. Gertrudes intentional suicide however, shows she failed as a
peacemaker and it ends all conflicting internal drama.

Throughout the play Hamlet struggles with depression, he may act insane, but he knows
exactly what actions he carries through, for example making everyone believe he is a mad man.
Hamlet acts as though he is mad for a reason like Freud said, "One's own feelings could not
guide one down a path; one must have had a spark to put the influence in one's way." A person
could not just decide to take a path without influence from the superego. Either a person's actions
or words can cause a person to decide to take on a certain action and Hamlets trigger was the
queen. Freud agrees that "sometimes the motive for one to act depends on one's helplessness and
dependence on another.

Hamlet is his own great enemy because he did not take the opportunities given to him to
proceed with his plan. He just finds ways to reason himself out of all the opportunities. His id,
ego, and superego made him confused and frail. His reasoning is his way to hide the true reason
why he could no kill Claudius, which is his weakness. Hamlets does the noble thing by saving
Horatio from dying in order to save the country, which ends up being his big final act of
courageousness without any hesitation. Hamlet was brilliant and stood up for his word enough

that he could not admit to Ophelia his act of a mad man to revenge for his father. Hamlets only
flaws that cause his tragic death are his weakness, reasoning, and confused id, ego, and superego.

Works Cited
Hamlet. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Julie Christie, Derek Jacobi. 1996.
Videocassette. Warner, 2000.
Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare: Hamlet. New York: SparkNotes, 2003. Print.

"General Introduction to Psychoanalysis." General Introduction to Psychoanalysis. Web. 15

Sept. 2014.
"Psychoanalytic Literary Criticism." Princeton University. Web. 15 Sept. 2014.
Gertrude: in the middle. 11 Sept. 2014
"The Life, Work, and Theories of Sigmund Freud." About. Web. 15 Sept. 2014.