Psychoanalytic Allusions In Hamlet

     Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is a complex play, filled with layers of meaning. These are often revealed through the madness of the characters and the theme of madness throughout the play. Although Hamlet and Ophelia are the only characters thought to be so afflicted, the reactions of other characters to this madness mirrors their own preoccupations.

Shakespeare also exemplifies contrast of mental illness and wellness between characters in the play Hamlet. As the characters, Ophelia and Hamlet both endure the stress of a father's death their actions begin to change. This makes it easy for a reader to perceive the difference between Hamlet, Ophelia, and the other characters in the play. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most complex characters, his insanity is often a subject of debate. The article “Mechanics of Madness in Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear” states that “he is an apt example of the complexities of the human psyche which are often beyond comprehension” (Ebsco). To find out the answer to the ultimate question of whether Hamlet is insane, comparing his actions to those of other characters would be helpful. At the beginning of the play both Hamlet and Horatio are trusted when the ghost appears to the guards. However, soon after Hamlet begins to spiral into insanity. In Act Two, Scene Two Hamlet talks with Polonius and this is the first time a reader can see Hamlet start to act unstable. Hamlet begins with “You are a fish monger” (190), and after Polonius corrects he continues to act deranged, by the end of their conversation Polonius is convinced “though this be madness” (223), meaning that he believes Hamlet is mad. However, Hamlet seems to be able to control his madness, which is why people often think that he is just acting. But by the end of the play Hamlet, similar to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, has hallucinations. He sees his father’s ghost again, but this time no one else can see it. Hamlet asks his mother, “Do you see nothing here?” (3.4, 150), and she answers with “Nothing at all” (3.4, 151). Comparing Hamlet’s actions to his Mother’s in this scene creates a sense that Hamlet’s acting mad and need for revenge has caused his to change his mental state. Ophelia, also driven mad by her father's death, plus Hamlet's twisted love for her can also be compared to Hamlet throughout the play to see that she is sane at the beginning, but just as mad as Hamlet, if not more, by the end. Ophelia at the start of the play is trying to help the King and her father to catch Hamlet, what she thought was to help him. However, after her lover, Hamlet,

Hamlet also compares himself to the demi god Hercules in Act 1 scene 2: "My father's brother- but no more like my father/ Than I to Hercules" (I, ii, 152-153). This mythological allusion is important because Hamlet is comparing himself to Hercules who is known as a strong warrior and earned a place on Mount Olympus with the gods. Hamlet is saying that his uncle is very much different than his father, like Hamlet is very much different than Hercules. Hercules is seen as a "superhero" of Greek mythology, which is a great difference of Hamlet because Hamlet is in no way seen as a "superhero" or someone to look up to. Hamlet

In Hamlet, the characters offer a distinct parallel to certain aspects of the fall of man. Most prominently, Claudius can be closely associated with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:3 of the Bible, the serpent tempts Eve to bite the forbidden apple. In a similar fashion, Claudius is tempted by the evil of his own greed and jealousy. Eve's temptation results in the murder of Paradise while Claudius' temptation results in the murder of his own brother, the king, and the paradise of Elsinore. Claudius, the "...serpent that did sting [Hamlet's] father's life" (I.ii, 39), parallels directly to the biblical 'sting' of the serpent.

In Hamlet, Shakespeare relies heavily on the use of Allusion, a reference to another work, often the reference of a character. He uses these allusions to emphasize what is important to Hamlet and develop his character as a tactician. While describing to the players how they must act he states that “I would have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termagant. It out-Herods Herod. Pray you, avoid it.” (III.ii. 13-15). He alludes to Termagant and Herod in these lines, Herod was the one who was king of Judea when Jesus was born, and decreed that Jesus must be put to death because he did not want someone to take his reign. Herod was a very strong ruler who would rant and focus on unimportant things, such as Jesus taking over his physical throne, when that was never God’s plan.

The well known story “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare, provides a variety of important attributes which makes it so popular and effective. However, the story does contain many uses of the allusion literary device that contributes in getting the story’s ideas to the reader by referencing to another popular event or person that helps the reader understand the story, rather than be overwhelmed with thoughts. Although, these allusions contributed effectively in Shakespeare’s time and society, it may not be as effective in today’s society. Due to constant changes and adaptations overtime, our society has evolved, which would allow the use for an update to the story’s allusions based on historical figures like Herod and historical items as in a hobby horse in today’s society.

Characters in Hamlet portrays a distinct parallel to the characters in Garden of Eden. In Hamlet’s conversation with King Hamlet’s ghost, the ghost described his ____________ death, “A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark / Is forged process of my death” (I.v.35-37). The ghost goes on “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life / Now wears his crown” (I.v.39-40). The allusion of the serpent from Garden of Eden is used to refer to Hamlet’s uncle - the now, King Claudius. According to 1, the serpent is a representation of “the initiator of the first sins in the Garden”as it represents “evil and devil” (___) in the Genesis and serpents also act as the “ancient symbol of chaos” (2). The ghost of King Hamlet continues, “Ay, that incestuous,

People put price tags on life and the article are used as a metaphor in the four stories that I read and the movie I watch .In the four stories i read and annotated I found out that in each story each person life is cheris na different way.In the movie Seven pounds I saw how one person help those who deserve to live a good life.These will help you show how many still put price tags on life's.The end will surely answer my question oh how articles are used as metaphors.

During the Elizabethan era, its visual art, music, theatre and literature and any other form of art went through a Renaissance or rebirth (Alchin). Playwrights had more freedom than ever in this era when writing their plays and even “[embraced] … ancient Greek and Roman beliefs, myths and culture” (About the Elizabethan Era and the Four Humors) in their works. Even Queen Elizabeth I kept up to date with the Renaissance and learned much about Greek and Roman myths (The Renaissance and the Elizabethan Age). And so, Greek and Roman beliefs spread like wildlife and soon enough, everyone generally knew which god was which and which one did what. Unfortunately, today’s general target audience of the play Hamlet can, at most, recognize that these are names of ancient Greek and Roman gods. Thus, the next paragraphs will explain the multiple allusions that appear in a passage of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Shakespeare uses metaphors and tone to stress the development of mental illness in the character Hamlet throughout “Hamlet”. Mental illness is defined as conditions that affect mood, thinking, or behavior. Hamlet represents a character affected by mental illness. Hamlet in his first lines describes his pain and suffering simulating signs of depression, a form of mental illness. Early in his introduction Hamlet describes his feelings regarding the death of his father and sudden marriage of his mother and uncle. His mother asks Hamlet to stop his mourning. Hamlet responds by explaining his morning is not a fallacy “I know not seems tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black nor windy suspiration of forced breath” (I, ii, 76-79). Shakespeare uses words like black and inky cloak, to develop a dark and solemn tone; furthermore, this tone allows the character of Hamlet to develop a dark and depressed attitude thus reflecting his internal depression. Shakespeare also uses metaphors to develop the idea of Hamlet’s depression. Hamlet conveys multiple symptoms of depression one being thoughts of suicide. Hamlet often debates about his death and what the effects would be if he did die. Hamlet also debates life after death and questions religion. Hamlet describes death as “ this too too sallied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into dew” (I, ii, 129-130). Shakespeare compares flesh melting to the resolving of dew; this comparison

He convinces the nobles of the court to accept his bizarrely timed and probably sinful marriage to Gertrude by declaring a speech, “Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature, that we with wisest sorrow think on him; Together with remembrance of ourselves.” (I,II,IV). Claudius does not really want to marry Gertrude, however he lies to the courtiers in the audience chamber that he is needed in the Kingdom to rule Denmark. In addition, the ghost of King Hamlet compares Claudius to the Serpent in the Adam and Eve tale because of the similar villainous acts of murder they perform in the garden; “Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, with witchcraft of his wits, with traitorous gifts-O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power; So to seduce!-won to his shameful lust. The will of my most-seeming virtuous queen!” (I,IV,49). Claudius performs the murder of King Hamlet while he is asleep similar to how the Serpent fools Eve in the Garden of

Claudius is clearly referred to by King Hamlet’s apparition as a serpent, a serpent which “stung me (King Hamlet) so the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death” (1.5.772-74). Serpents or snakes are often closely associated to betrayal and deception especially in religious texts such as the bible, but more specifically the story and Adam and Eve. Claudius’ actions openly proves that he really is a serpent considering the fact that he betrayed Denmark by poisoning King Hamlet and deceiving everyone around him that King Hamlet died of natural causes in order to solicit the crown (1.5.776-77). The king’s massacre exposes the true hidden character of one of

The death of Hamlet’s father is thematically very similar to the Biblical tale of the fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, a comparison Shakespeare uses to show that even though Claudius is the primary villain, Gertrude is also implicated as a guilty party alongside him. Denmark before Claudius’s reign is described multiple times throughout the play as a very idyllic place, much like the Garden of Eden was supposed to be. Indeed, Shakespeare even describes Hamlet’s father as “sleeping in [his] orchard” (34) at the time of his murder, calling to mind a very pastoral and tranquil scene in the country. This scene is of course interrupted by the appearance of a “serpent” (35) that throws the nation into chaos by supposedly stinging Hamlet’s father. Rather than simply acknowledging that this is a lie and saying bluntly that Claudius poisoned the last king, the ghost instead says specifically that “the serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown” (38-39).

Psychology is not excluded altogether, however. In the 2008 production, we do not see the apparition in the direction towards which Hamlet points. The 2008 Royal Shakespeare Company production keeps us hovering between the theatrical and the psychological. These two realms are intertwined. Indeed, as the Ghost enters Hamlet curls up. This reveals that the apparition’s presence is castrating. As a matter of course, it is only when the Ghost enters that Hamlet loses control of the scene. The father figure is seen here as theatrically and sexually castrating.

In the conversation between the ghostly king and Hamlet, Shakespeare's evocative language provokes feelings of pity for King Hamlet, who was murdered by Claudius. The people of Denmark were told that King Hamlet's cause of death was a snakebite when in actuality the king was killed by poison. The ghost of King Hamlet makes it clear that Claudius is the “serpent that did sting thy father's life [that] now wears his crown.” The readers are persuaded to the King's side just by the mere description of Claudius as the serpent wearing the stolen crown. Most people want the hero to win, not the villain.