Hamlet And One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Analysis

Chief Bromden is the main character in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Chief Bromden, also know as “Chief Broom” is mentally ill in a mental ward. Chief suffers from Schizophrenia, lack of identity, and oppression. Chief Bromden changes throughout the novel by coming out of his fog, becoming aware of his surroundings, and even leaving the mental ward with the help of his friend Mcmurphy.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Shakespeare homepage | Hamlet | Entire play ACT I SCENE I. Elsinore. A platform before the castle. FRANCISCO at his post.

The English Play writer, William Shakespeare had written many well-known pieces of work including Hamlet. Hamlet is known to be one of his most popular works. Hamlet was written in the late 16th Century about the Prince of Denmark. The original title of the work was The Tragedy of Hamlet, now it is referred to as just Hamlet. In Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses the mental state of his characters to prove that not all characters in books have to be one dimensional. Shakespeare’s writing shows that humans are complex, and can have different mental states. Characters throughout the story such as, Hamlet, Gertrude, and Ophelia show their not so stable mental state. First we will analyze Hamlet and talk about Ernest Jones’ Psycho-analytic study of Hamlet. Then we will talk about Ophelia and how the events that happened leading up to her death or suicide played a role into her mental state. Finally we will analyze Gertrude, the Queen’s role in Hamlet, and how she is a mentally weak woman and relies on the men in her life.

Madness, Power, Rebellion, and Conformity are some of the many themes that prevail in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Hamlet both express similar messages of sanity vs. insanity, control, and compliance through their characters.

Hamlet is as much a story of emotional conflict, paranoia, and self-doubt as it is one of revenge and tragedy. The protagonist, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, is instructed by his slain father’s ghost to enact vengeance upon his uncle Claudius, whose treacherous murder of Hamlet’s father gave way to his rise to power. Overcome by anguish and obligation to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet ultimately commits a number of killings throughout the story. However, we are not to view the character Hamlet as a sick individual, but rather one who has been victimized by his own circumstances.

The speech of Hamlet “O that this too sullied flesh would melt, … But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” (1.2.129-159) is where we can see Hamlet’s sadness towards his mother, Gertrude and his uncle Claudius and feels disappointed about their decision of getting married. Hamlet is seen to be too upset after his father’s death. It’s not even a month has passed and he gets to hear another news about his mother Gertrude and uncle, Claudius getting married. In the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, King Claudius gives a speech to his courtiers, telling them about his recent marriage to Gertrude, mother of Hamlet and his brother’s widow. Claudius says that he mourns his brother but has chosen to balance Denmark’s mourning with delight of his marriage. He also mentions in his speech that young Fortinbras has written to him, rashly demanding the surrender of the lands King Hamlet won from Fortinbras’s father, and dispatches Cornelius and Voltimand with a message for the King of Norway, Fortinbras’s elderly uncle.

A foil in literature is a minor character whose differences to the main character highlight specific traits. There are two specific characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet that exemplify those attributes of a “foil” to Prince Hamlet. Horatio, who is Hamlet’s closest confidant and his best friend, is there to balance out Hamlet’s angst. Laertes is the brother of Ophelia, Hamlet’s love interest and a nobleman of Denmark. Laertes sees that opportunity for revenge and takes it right away. These characters differ from Hamlet so greatly, that Hamlet’s own characteristics are emphasized.

In the conclusion of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the audience gains an understanding of the importance of Justice to each character. In the final act both Hamlet and Laertes seek to find justice for the wrongs committed against them and their families. This leaves both men trying to identify how to right these misdeeds

“People with mental health problems are almost never dangerous. In fact, they are more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators. At the same time, mental illness has been the common denominator in one act of mass violence after another,” Roy Blunt, a United States senator, had said. Some individuals who are mentally ill are able to achieve their goals because they have the qualities associated with being a leader, such as having confidence typical of narcissism or willing to use others like psychopaths. The characters of Hamlet and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest focuses on these states of mental health and how it ties into the people and setting. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, characters

“Do it or do not do it – you will regret both” (Kierkegaard 72) is a quote that echoes and expounds upon the famous “To be, or not to be” (Hamlet 3.1.56). The former quote was written by none other than Danish philosopher and poet, Søren Kierkegaard. Born in 1813, Søren Kierkegaard was well acquainted with Shakespeare’s text and often referred to it in his writings. When watching Kenneth Branagh’s unique, unabridged adaptation of Hamlet, it is apparent that Kenneth Branagh was able to capture how similar his Hamlet and Søren are in character while making his mark in cinematography history. The connection between Branagh, Shakespeare, and Kierkegaard goes beyond the setting and 19th century architecture of Branagh’s recreation of Hamlet. Through both Søren and Kenneth’s backstory, choice of esthetics, and their actions in life changing moments the story of Hamlet has proven to be a guide for both of these extraordinary men.

Psychological problems have been evident in society since biblical times. There has been writings and historical documents regarding different people that were afflicted with different psychological illnesses. Hamlet and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest are two such writings. Hamlet features a young protagonist named Hamlet trying to kill off his paranoid uncle to avenge his father. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is told through a person named “Chief” Bromden who is thought to be deaf and mute, but is really bipolar and features a man named Randle McMurphy and his antics within a mental ward of a hospital.

In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, human agency is demonstrated by the actions of Polonius and Claudius throughout the play. Human agency is defined as the extent of power to act freely in taking responsibility for one’s actions, and the degree which intervention is possible by one to assert a will. In Hamlet, Claudius exerts his agency on the characters Laertes, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Similarly, Polonius restricts the freedom of his daughter, Ophelia, and constrains her agency as well, accented by the patriarchal society around the characters at this time. Through characterization and an animated setting, human agency in Hamlet entices the reader to question the extent of power that an individual can exert one’s force on a

We as humans are always trying to rationalize the things around us- whether it be situations, problems, or people, we are constantly cutting to conclusions to figure things out. This theory can be applied to the books we read, proving an authors task extremely difficult to truly surprise and enthrall their readers. While stereotypic characters do not draw much interest or attraction to the common person, It is exactly the opposite that hooks audiences and fascinates them: irrationality, disorder, and madness. Creating characters with mental illnesses and psychotic behavior throws our rational minds off track, causing us to become completely unprepared for and further entranced by the storyline. This appeal to use mentally-ill characters has been

The death of a beloved one, a friend, a confidant is existent with both Hamlet and McMurphy. In the novels Hamlet by William Shakespeare and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, McMurphy and Hamlet both present same characteristics with every step to achieve their goal throughout each novel . Although Hamlet and McMurphy are similar in their quest for satisfaction and justice, not only for themselves, but for the deceased, each man responds differently to their opportunity of righteousness.

The novel is set in the 1960’s inside a mental institution told by a patient, Big Chief Bromden and can be seen as a miniature mirror of society. The wards society is presented as a machine, called the Combine, that makes everyone conform to its strict rules and timetables. All individuality is taken away from the patients, and the happy feelings are frowned upon. In the ward, the leader of ‘society’ is the Big Nurse. She enforces order, efficiency and repression. She intends to cure them so that they can fit into the outside world and conform with all the rules that exist. If the patients refuse or resist to comply with her rules, they are abused by legitimate treatments that are supposed to be used only for curing mentally ill patients such as electro-shock therapy, lobotomy and spinal taps.