Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes Hamlet's incestuous attraction to his mother, Gertrude, in relation to the Oedipus Complex. The paper provides textual evidence as well as interpretation. Through a review of the play, the writer illustrates the background to Hamlet's behavior and explains his insanity which is incited by his subconscious sexual desires.

From the Paper:

"Hamlet's Oedipal feelings toward his mother caused him to have an incestuous attraction to her and an intense feeling of rivalry towards Claudius. The Oedipus Complex is a Freudian term designating attraction on the part of the child toward the parent of the opposite sex and rivalry and hostility toward the parent of its own (The Columbia Encyclopedia). Typical characteristics of this complex include jealousy and anger towards the parent of the same sex, and a subconscious desire towards the parent of the opposite sex. While most of the urges are repressed by early childhood, extreme circumstances can bring them to the surface in the later stages of life. In Hamlet's case, it took the murder of his father to draw out his incestuous instincts."

More papers on Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex:

• Research Paper # 75052 : "Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex"
• Argumentative Essay # 33733 : "The Oedipus Complex in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
• Analytical Essay # 143025 : "The Oedipus Complex in Modern Psychoanalysis and Drama"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: