Hamlets Indecision, Hesitation and Delay in Relation to the Abuse He Suffered :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Hamlets Delay in Relation to the Abuse He Suffered In recent times, a psychoanalytical approach has been taken to explain a persons behavior. Freud argued quite heavily that people have a subconscious drive that determines legion(predicate) of their actions. Hamlet does not differ from this. A psychoanalytical approach will find a reasonable explanation of Hamlets actions in Shakespeares Hamlet. His actions are characteristic of mavin who has been abused. Hamlets Oedipus complex is more pronounced because of it. Other factors indicate abuse. Ultimately, his delay is due to the abuse as well. It is important to take that he was abused as a small fry, which is reflected, first, in his Oedipus complex. A complex which must be understood better. An Oedipus complex is often misinterpreted as a son who is in love with the mother and in truth wants to kill (or has killed) the father. The Oedipus complex is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as a subconscious sexual desire i n a child . . . for the parent of the opposite sex,usually accompanied by hostility to the parent of the same sex. If unresolved naturally, this complex may result in neurosis and an inability to invent normal sexual relationships in adulthood. Hamlet clearly has some problems. He is having trouble forming a sexual relationship with Ophelia. His constant banter with her is almost ridiculous. throughout the play, Hamlet toys with her, never quite able to just say anything or take any action. Hamlet says, be thou chaste as ice, as pure a snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, farewell. (3.2.. 133) He also makes some suggestions to her prior to the play within the play. juncture Lady, shall I lie in your lap. OPHELIA No my lord. HAMLET I mean, my head upon your lap. OPHELIA Ay, my lord. HAMLET Do you think I meant country matters. OPHELIA I think nothing my lord. HAMLET Thats a fair thought to lie between a maids legs. (3.2. 101-106) One does not have to be a gen ius in order to understand that Hamlet is referring to sex. No where in the play does he taken any action to initiate a relationship of sexual orientation with Ophelia. Instead, like the earlier statement, he is playing with her and the notion of sex. According to Steven Bavolek, Ph. D., abuse can cause sexual tension which may be diverted into games involving teasing, mock spanking, and wrestling (106).