Oedipus-Complex In Shakespeares Hamlet - 1962 Words

Renowned psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud, coined the term Oedipus-complex in 1910 when explaining a child’s psychological desire for his opposite-sex parent. Coupled with this desire is a bitter sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex, as the child feels envious and compelled to win the affection of the coveted parent (Freud 19). Shakespeare’s Hamlet, although written prior to the development of this theory, is often referenced as a prime example of this complex. Hamlet famously descends into madness in an effort to avenge his father’s death; however, although Hamlet is seemingly devastated by the loss of his father, it is not until he learns of his mother’s marriage to Claudius that he truly begins to unravel. Once alone, he erupts†¦show more content†¦They provide the three classes of ghosts that Elizabethans recognized: the authentic, subjective, or false ghost. When illustrating the characteristics of a false ghost, they describe, â€Å"It was thought to be a prankish delight of the devil to assume the shape of a person lately dead and in this guise appear to relatives and incite them to some deed which — if consummated — would entail the forfeiture of their souls† (Boas and Hahn 99). Because Shakespeare was undoubtedly Protestant, he surely intended for the ghost in Hamlet to reflect the qualities of a false ghost, for Protestants believed that ghosts were truly demons sent from Hell to tempt people into performing unholy acts. Consequently, the ghost of the king is unquestionably a demon sent to persuade Hamlet to fulfill his utmost unholy desire: to be with his mother. However, if this ghost is truly a demon, it would not want to appear as such to Hamlet. As Boas and Hahn suggest when referencing Hamlet, this demon materializes under the guise of urging Hamlet to commit a heroic act of justice, when in reality it is tempting him to remove the only person who stands in the way of his deepest, sinful wish. If the ghost were to command him to murder Claudius so Hamlet can fulfill his incestuous desires, Hamlet would be less apt to act because he does not want to acknowledge such desires, for the Oedipus-complex is an unconscious and repressed affliction.Show MoreRelatedLove Thy Mother Most Peculiar Essay1235 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract: Does Hamlet, a character in Shakespeare’s historical play, have the Oedipus complex? Do we truly understand the semantics of the Oedipus complex? Many critics have had different opinions. 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