Why Did Freud Use Oedipis As Basis - 1355 Words

SHAKESPEARES PLAY-FREUD WHY DID FREUD USE OEDIPIS AS BASIS!! HAMLET Freudian theories are most prominent in Hamlet out of all Shakespeare’s plays. The most common repressed desire is that of Oedipus. In the myth Oedipus killed his father, and went on to marry his mother, without knowing who each of them were. In this myth the feelings are brought to light however in Hamlet they stay repressed. We only learn of it through the effects it causes. Hamlet is all about incest. After his father’s death his mother plans to marry his uncle. This is Hamlets first association of sexuality with his mother. Hamlet sees this as ‘foul incest’ little does he know that he is repressing his own psychosexual feelings. With someone about to take his father’s place, it stirs a long repressed desire of Hamlets to take his father’s place. Gertrude is also a very sexual being, and it is her sexuality that turns Hamlet so violently against her. Claudius is Hamlets uncle, marrying his mother. Hamlet is disgusted by this seemingly incest arrangement and the ghost of Hamlets father seemingly appears calling Claudius, ‘that incestuous, that adulterate beast’. Many critics read the line adulterate beast as proof that Gerturde had been the lover of Claudius even before Hamlet s father had died. However, is Gertrude had been having an affair she would most likely be seen as part of the murder plot. Claudius does not confide in her however leading us to believe she was not in fact an acomplice. This