Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, had a profound interest in literature, and he often referenced William Shakespeare in his work. Freud’s analysis of Shakespeare’s plays, particularly “Hamlet,” is one of the most well-known intersections of psychoanalysis and literature.
Freud on Shakespeare:
- “Hamlet” and the Oedipus Complex:
- Freud’s most famous engagement with Shakespeare revolves around “Hamlet.” In his work “The Interpretation of Dreams” (1899), Freud posits that Hamlet’s hesitation to avenge his father’s murder is rooted in the Oedipus complex. Freud believed that Hamlet’s inner conflict stemmed from unconscious desires, similar to the Oedipal feelings—a son’s unconscious sexual desire for his mother and jealousy of his father.
- According to Freud, Hamlet’s reluctance to kill King Claudius (who had murdered Hamlet’s father and married his mother) is because Claudius has enacted Hamlet’s own repressed wishes. Hamlet sees in Claudius an embodiment of his own forbidden desires, which paralyzes him with guilt and hesitation.
- Shakespeare’s Insight into Human Psychology:
- Freud admired Shakespeare for his deep psychological insight, often suggesting that Shakespeare’s understanding of the human mind was akin to the insights Freud himself sought to uncover through psychoanalysis.
- Shakespeare’s portrayal of complex emotions, inner conflicts, and the darker aspects of human nature resonated with Freud’s theories about the unconscious, repression, and the drives that motivate human behavior.
- Shakespeare’s Identity:
- Freud also speculated about the authorship of Shakespeare’s works. In his later years, Freud became intrigued by the idea that Shakespeare might not have been the true author of the plays attributed to him. Freud leaned towards the theory that the plays were actually written by Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford. Freud’s interest in this theory was tied to his own ideas about the unconscious mind and the complexities of identity.
- Psychoanalytic Readings of Other Plays:
- Beyond “Hamlet,” Freud’s ideas have been applied by scholars to other Shakespearean works, such as “Macbeth,” “Othello,” and “King Lear.” In each of these, psychoanalytic critics explore themes of ambition, jealousy, madness, and the dynamics of family relationships through a Freudian lens.
Legacy of Freud’s Interpretation:
Freud’s analysis of Shakespeare, particularly his interpretation of “Hamlet,” has had a lasting impact on both literary criticism and psychoanalytic theory. While not all scholars agree with Freud’s interpretations, his work opened up new ways of understanding literature and deepened the exploration of characters’ psychological dimensions.
