HAMLET: FREUDIAN ANALYSIS
OEDIPUS COMPLEX ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO
MITHOLOGY AND FREUD ID: instinctual part of the mind, contains sexual
and aggressive desires
In Greek mythology, Oedipus is a man who unknowingly killed his father and ended up sleeping with his mother.
Freud used the term Oedipus Complex to describe the unconscious feeling of desire that children experience towards the parent of the opposite sex.
→Pleasure Principle [every impulse should be
satisfied immediately]
FATHER MOTHER -Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death as
The son develops hostile feelings towards the father, which The Oedipus complex is resolved when the boy starts identifying soon as he’s aware of the murderer
lead to anxiety. To cope with said anxiety, the son adopts with his father as an indirect way to have the mother. It could -He instantly kills who he thought was his uncle
the same personality and behavior as the father, who also escalate into the child trying to ‘get rid of the father’ to take once he feels his presence (Act 3, Scene 4)
becomes both a role model and a rival. over his role, and subsequently being with his mother.
EGO: part of the mind that mediates between
C L A U D I U S G E R T R U D E the id and the superego
Hamlet’s hatred towards Claudius is openly expressed: he Concern vs Obsession →Reality Principle [satisfying the id’s desires
despises his uncle and is comfortable with letting him with the least amount of negative consequences
From the beginning of the play, it can be seen -and Hamlet himself to one’s self]
know that.
admits it- that his depression and overall melancholic mood and behavior
is due to his mother and uncle’s marriage.
There are two main reasons for these feelings: -He releases some of the anger bubbled up
→ACT 3, SCENE 4 inside of him by lashing out at Ophelia (Act 3,
1.Hamlet knows that it was Claudius who killed his father Scene 1)
-the setting: Hamlet and Gertrude are having a discussion in her
-on the surface: he sees his uncle as his father’s murderer bedroom, a possible subliminal hint at Hamlet’s subconscious feelings
-psychological view: he envies Claudius for doing what he towards his mother
subconsciously desired to do- he killed his father and took SUPEREGO: operates as the moral conscience
his place both on the throne and next to Gertrude. -the conversation consists of on interrogation on Hamlet’s part about his →controls the id’s impulses
mother and his uncle’s relationship, with lewd references to their sexual →makes the ego consider moralistic goals and
relations. not only realistic ones
2. He married Gertrude
“Nay, but to live/ In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed/ Stewed in -His superego decides to put on a pay to play to
-on the surface: he feels resentment towards his uncle and corruption, honeying and making love/ Over the nasty sty”.
his mother for marrying so quickly after his father’s death mock his uncle instead of taking tragic
-psychological view: he’s (subconsciously) blinded by His deep concern for her sexual life goes beyond a son to mother measures (Act 3, Scene 2)
relationship, as it is a manifestation of his envy towards Claudius, who -His psyche stirs him away from an impulsive
jealousy, since his uncle gets to be with Gertrude instead of
gets to be King and Gertrude’s husband ‘instead of him’. murder (Act 3, Scene 3)
him.
OEDIPUS COMPLEX ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO
MITHOLOGY AND FREUD ID: instinctual part of the mind, contains sexual
and aggressive desires
In Greek mythology, Oedipus is a man who unknowingly killed his father and ended up sleeping with his mother.
Freud used the term Oedipus Complex to describe the unconscious feeling of desire that children experience towards the parent of the opposite sex.
→Pleasure Principle [every impulse should be
satisfied immediately]
FATHER MOTHER -Hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death as
The son develops hostile feelings towards the father, which The Oedipus complex is resolved when the boy starts identifying soon as he’s aware of the murderer
lead to anxiety. To cope with said anxiety, the son adopts with his father as an indirect way to have the mother. It could -He instantly kills who he thought was his uncle
the same personality and behavior as the father, who also escalate into the child trying to ‘get rid of the father’ to take once he feels his presence (Act 3, Scene 4)
becomes both a role model and a rival. over his role, and subsequently being with his mother.
EGO: part of the mind that mediates between
C L A U D I U S G E R T R U D E the id and the superego
Hamlet’s hatred towards Claudius is openly expressed: he Concern vs Obsession →Reality Principle [satisfying the id’s desires
despises his uncle and is comfortable with letting him with the least amount of negative consequences
From the beginning of the play, it can be seen -and Hamlet himself to one’s self]
know that.
admits it- that his depression and overall melancholic mood and behavior
is due to his mother and uncle’s marriage.
There are two main reasons for these feelings: -He releases some of the anger bubbled up
→ACT 3, SCENE 4 inside of him by lashing out at Ophelia (Act 3,
1.Hamlet knows that it was Claudius who killed his father Scene 1)
-the setting: Hamlet and Gertrude are having a discussion in her
-on the surface: he sees his uncle as his father’s murderer bedroom, a possible subliminal hint at Hamlet’s subconscious feelings
-psychological view: he envies Claudius for doing what he towards his mother
subconsciously desired to do- he killed his father and took SUPEREGO: operates as the moral conscience
his place both on the throne and next to Gertrude. -the conversation consists of on interrogation on Hamlet’s part about his →controls the id’s impulses
mother and his uncle’s relationship, with lewd references to their sexual →makes the ego consider moralistic goals and
relations. not only realistic ones
2. He married Gertrude
“Nay, but to live/ In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed/ Stewed in -His superego decides to put on a pay to play to
-on the surface: he feels resentment towards his uncle and corruption, honeying and making love/ Over the nasty sty”.
his mother for marrying so quickly after his father’s death mock his uncle instead of taking tragic
-psychological view: he’s (subconsciously) blinded by His deep concern for her sexual life goes beyond a son to mother measures (Act 3, Scene 2)
relationship, as it is a manifestation of his envy towards Claudius, who -His psyche stirs him away from an impulsive
jealousy, since his uncle gets to be with Gertrude instead of
gets to be King and Gertrude’s husband ‘instead of him’. murder (Act 3, Scene 3)
him.
