An Interpretation of Hamlet’s Characteristics through Psychoanalytic Lens: Hesitation and Depression
Hamlet is one of the most famous dramas of William Shakespeare, the play is set in the Kingdom of Denmark, which tells how prince Hamlet aims to take revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering his father the King, and marrying Gertrude, his mother. Throughout the play, Hamlet’s delay in killing Claudius has been called the central problem. Although this hesitancy plays a crucial role in reinforcing the idea of the flaw and weakness of Hamlet’s character, without it there is no play. Full of deception, melancholia, and death, the play reflects the status of the protagonist questioning his value of existence facing both depression and melancholy.
Hamlet’s major weakness is his inability to act due to a major conflict between deeds and consciousness. This is investigated through a psychoanalytic focal point that focuses on Hamlet’s main characteristics taking into consideration Freud’s ideas about the human mind in his book “Translation of Dreams”. From a Freudian point of view, Hamlet illustrates the influence of his unconsciousness on his desires to make an activity. He is a victim of Oedipus complex suffering from the guilt of his inner desire to be in his father’s place. Therefore, going through hesitation and doubt to avenge for him, he is subconsciously identifying himself with his uncle as a criminal. This is why we see Hamlet speaking to his mother as a jealousy lover, and why he does not accept her relationship with Claudius whom he considers as a rival.
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