Psychoanalytic Analysis Of Hamlet Essay

For any son, the death of one’s father will definitely have a huge impact on their life however it appears that for Hamlet rather than simple grief or remorse, Hamlet instead turns to madness. Hamlet’s psychological development can be analyzed during his soliloquy of Act 2, Scene ii where he decides to plot against Claudius to revenge his father as well as Act 3 Scene IV. After King Hamlet’s death and putting Hamlet in a situation of where he must pretend to be insane, Hamlet’s true sanity can be questioned through his decision making and through the analysis of his pleasure seeking id, his realistic ego, and his over-thinking superego from a psychoanalytical reading of the text. By taking a look through the psychoanalytical lens, it is apparent through Hamlet’s long soliloquy that the death of his father is very much taking a toll on his mind. Upon analyzing the mental state of the struggling prince, one can …show more content…
After succeeding in his rouse and catching the King off guard during the play, he goes to meet his mother. Upon suspecting “a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead” Hamlet stabs the hidden intruder (III, iv, 29). After all his planning, all his work, his id comes into control and tries to seek his goal of killing the King. His lack of control is evident as he jumps into action without proving it is the King first and appears psychotic to be stabbing random eavesdroppers. This instance thus doesn’t pan-out as it is in fact Polonius, not the King who he had slain demonstrating that rash actions of his id have harsh results. It also appears from Gertrude’s perspective that Hamlet is continuing his downward spiral as he murders an innocent Polonius without a valid cause or reason. It turns out the Gertrude is the one person he clings dearly to, and thus tries to appeal