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According to Freudian psychodynamic theory, understanding how the id, ego, and superego interact is essential to grasping the nature of
According to Freudian psychodynamic theory, understanding how the id, ego, and superego interact is essential to grasping the nature of
Theme of insanity in literature
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One of the central theme’s throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the question of madness versus sanity. From the first few scenes of the play, one cannot help but question the way that various character’s throughout the play think and behave. In line with Sigmund Freud’s ideas concerning the Id, Ego, and Superego, we see that various characters’ behaviors are clearly defined by these distinct personality structures although not always in the way they are traditionally expected to. Gertrude and Hamlet both find themselves eventually losing control of their lives as they all give way to the Id portion of their personality. It is this downfall that will continually come across as the madness so central and destructive throughout the course of the play.
Gertrude, as the Queen and mother of Hamlet, should exemplify the traits of the Superego defined by Freud. He states that the superego is the “internalized ideals that we have acquired from our parents or society.” (Freud) Given the roles that she plays throughout the play it is reasonable to expect that Gertrude would serve as a moral compass throughout the play and help to encourage righteous behaviors within the other characters. Instead of regulating the morality of her kingdom, Gertrude loses a sense of her role earlier than any of the other characters.
By the time that the play has begun we see that she has substituted “marriage nuptials for mourning rituals” (Bergoffen 146 ) and as a result has suggested to the people around her that there is no reason to mourn and rather that Hamlet, and the rest of Denmark should “cast thy nighted color off... Do not forever with thy vailed lids seek for they noble father in the dust.” ( Shakespeare 25) essentially telling the people to move...
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The people of Denmark at this time were not to blame totally for their fall into Id-like behavior. They had been under the rule of once-righteous leaders who had fallen and as a result cause there to be “something rotten in the state of Denmark” ( Shakespeare 45). The Id progressed with astounding power throughout the play proving in reality how similar it is to the Superego. For both Gertrude and Hamlet, it was far too easy for them to let down their guard causing them to be slaves to their bodies and emotions rather than logically progressing using careful use of the regulating ego. Both of these characters experienced seemingly inevitable deaths which although considered a tragedy were the only way for the kingdom to be reborn and experience the normalcy that King Fortibras would bring as a result of a more natural development of The Id, Ego, and Superego.
“He is far gone, far gone” (2.2.8). The play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare is the story of young Hamlet whose father was killed by his uncle, Claudius, then his uncle took the throne and married Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, which ultimately caused hamlet to become melancholic or ‘mad’. In the essay ‘Madness and Melancholy in Hamlet’ written by Kate Flint she explores the idea of madness and melancholy in the Elizabethan time in reference to the actions of Hamlet. She states that Hamlet is neither mad nor melancholy but does display symptoms of each. Flint states that to categorize Hamlet as either mad or melancholy the characters would have to be viewed as real people which they cannot be. She shows that Hamlets madness is only an excuse to expose the truth and teach the audience a lesson. The essay takes the position that hamlet’s strange behaviour was neither madness nor melancholy because those are human emotions but that they were a way to break the barrier between player and audience.
Hamlet is a menagerie of confusion, and documents a bloody struggle to gain power in Denmark. Though certain characters, such as Hamlet or Claudius, are more involved in said struggle, lesser characters could have potentially play a vital role in the perpetuation of the action of the play, mainly the murder of King Hamlet. Large amounts of speculation surround this death, as little concrete evidence exists to shed light on the true identity of the killer. Said confusion allows one to explore the roles potentially played by various characters in this virulent homicide, especially those of more obscure characters, such as Queen Gertrude. Due to the confusion surrounding
After the death of Old Hamlet and Gertrude’s remarriage to Claudius, Hamlet feels extremely angry and bitter. “How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable / Seem to me all the uses of this world!” (1.2.133-134). Due to the death of his father, he is already in a state of despair and the lack of sympathy that his mother has towards his sorrow does not aid him in recovering from this stage of grief. “Good Hamlet, cast thy knighted colour off, / And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark” (1.2.68-69). Hamlet is struggling to accept the fashion in which Gertrude is responding to the death of Old Hamlet; she seems quite content with her new life with Claudius, which is a difficult concept for him to accept as after the d...
Riddled with ambiguity by its very nature, the text of William Shakespeare's Hamlet has been a commonly debated subject in literary circles since its first performance. The character Hamlet undergoes intense physical and emotional hardship in his quest for revenge against his despicable uncle. This hardship, some argue, leads to an emotional breakdown and, ultimately, Hamlet's insanity. While this assessment may be suitable in some cases, it falls short in others. Since Hamlet is a play, the ultimate motivation of each of the characters borrows not only from the text, but also from the motivations of the actors playing the parts. In most respects, these motivations are more apt at discerning the emotional condition of a character than their dialogue ever could. Thus, the question is derived: In Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of Hamlet, does the character Hamlet suffer from insanity? Giving halt to the response, this paper will first endeavor to establish what insanity is and will then provide sufficient examples both from the text, film, and Branagh's own musings on his motivations as proof that Hamlet's character, at least in Branagh's version of the play, is not insane.
Shakespeare’s sinful woman in the tragedy Hamlet is named Gertrude. Wife of Claudius and mother of the prince, she is not selected by the ghost for vengeance by the protagonist. Let’s consider her story in this essay.
Throughout Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, must seek revenge for the murder of his father. Hamlet decides to portray an act of insanity, as part of his plan to murder Claudius. Throughout the play, Hamlet becomes more and more believable in his act, even convincing his mother that he is crazy. However, through his thoughts, and actions, the reader can see that he is in fact putting up an act, he is simply simulating insanity to help fulfil his fathers duty of revenge. Throughout the play, Hamlet shows that he understands real from fake, right from wrong and his enemies from his friends. Even in his madness, he retorts and is clever in his speech and has full understanding of what if going on around him. Most importantly, Hamlet does not think like that of a person who is mad. Hamlet decides to portray an act of insanity, as part of his plan to seek revenge for his fathers murder.
An understanding of William Shakespeare’s philosophies reinforces the meaning of the human condition found in the play Hamlet. The revenge tragedy is an example in the exploration of good versus evil, deceit, madness, inter-turmoil, and utter existence. Shakespeare, fascinated by the human mind and human nature, clearly and completely illustrates the meaning of “self.” Hamlet is a drama that examines one’s personal identity. From the beginning of the story atop the castle when the guards enter the platform to the conclusion of the performance as Hamlet lies, dying in Horatio’s arms every characters’ psychological type is
Hamlet is arguably the most famous play written by the highly renowned English playwright, William Shakespeare--a man known in much of the western world as the father of english literature. Part of the reason for this title is for Shakespeare’s ability to take a character, and through a basic plot, transform said character into becoming something that many scholars have debated over for years. Hamlet in this play is this character; a character whose mental instability or sheer lack of perception has lead to countless debate and argument over the actual explanation for the characters behavior. Schizophrenia can be defined as a lasting mental disorder that forms a fundamental impediment in thought and emotion (as well as behaviour). This disorder can then lead to a lack of judgment in perception, and unusual actions and feelings, all in addition to an overall withdrawal from reality and a devolution of personal relationships to delusional perceptions of oneself and his surroundings--in all, schizophrenia is a mental disorder involving the breaking down of the mind and one’s grip on reality (National Library of Medicine). With the above definition, it may at first seem rash to criticize Hamlet and declare that he has Schizophrenia; however, once it is considered the varying degrees in which Schizophrenia can manifest itself, it no longer becomes such a farfetched thought. It must be contended then, that Hamlet is neither insane nor lazy, but merely a man who suffers from Schizophrenic-hallucinations; hallucinations that spiral up the plot into one focused primarily on Hamlet’s search for truth.
And so now we can understand that Hamlet follows his mother's poor example of how to react to situations and why he does so. Children watch their parents’ or role models- and often, whether they intend to or not, inherit their habits. However, it is up to them whether they change these habits or not. Unfortunately in the case of Hamlet, he had a tragic ending and so did Gertrude. Their character flaws are quite similar, and it is the act of not acting and being able to decide wisely, which led to the downfall of the royal throne in Denmark.
As Hamlet transforms from a motivated intellectual to an obsessed griever, Shakespeare evaluates the fluidity of sanity.The juxtaposition of Hamlet’s desire to act and inability to do so unveils Hamlet’s inner turmoil, for as Hamlet disconnects from family, distrusts his environment, and forms an obsession with perfection, the audience realizes his fatal flaw and watches him tumble into the grasps of insanity. This degeneration forces the audience to consider how equilibrium between thought and action influences the conservation of sanity, not only for Hamlet, but also for all of humanity.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is arguably one of the best plays known to English literature. It presents the protagonist, Hamlet, and his increasingly complex path through self discovery. His character is of an abnormally complex nature, the likes of which not often found in plays, and many different theses have been put forward about Hamlet's dynamic disposition. One such thesis is that Hamlet is a young man with an identity crisis living in a world of conflicting values.
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one of the most evident and important themes is the theme of madness. The theme is apparent throughout the play, mainly through the actions and thoughts of Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes. Madness is defined as the quality or condition of mental illness or derangement (being insane). Madness is at the center of the conflicts and problems of the play and is conveyed through Shakespeare’s elaborate use of manipulation and parallels between Hamlet, Ophelia, and Laertes to contribute to Hamlet’s tragic character. All examples of madness begin and end with death.
One of the most popular characters in Shakespearean literature, Hamlet endures difficult situations within the castle he lives in. The fatal death of his father, and urge for revenge, leads Hamlet into making unreasonable decisions. In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet’s sanity diminishes as the story progresses, impacting the people around him as well as the timing and outcome of his revenge against Claudius. There are many occurrences that have caused Hamlet to lose his sanity. Hamlet acts very melancholic from both his father’s death and his mother’s hurried marriage to Claudius.
Hamlet has just come from watching Claudius praying for forgiveness, his emotions and his nerves are very brittle, and he has just missed a chance to kill his uncle. Hamlet releases his pent up frustrations upon Gertrude, lashing out at her and condemning her despite the ghost’s order not to. Hamlet lashes out with his id, insulting her and accusing her, she defends with her Superego, innocent in her mind of any crimes he accuses her of.
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies. At first glance, it holds all of the common occurrences in a revenge tragedy which include plotting, ghosts, and madness, but its complexity as a story far transcends its functionality as a revenge tragedy. Revenge tragedies are often closely tied to the real or feigned madness in the play. Hamlet is such a complex revenge tragedy because there truly is a question about the sanity of the main character Prince Hamlet. Interestingly enough, this deepens the psychology of his character and affects the way that the revenge tragedy takes place. An evaluation of Hamlet’s actions and words over the course of the play can be determined to see that his ‘outsider’ outlook on society, coupled with his innate tendency to over-think his actions, leads to an unfocused mission of vengeance that brings about not only his own death, but also the unnecessary deaths of nearly all of the other main characters in the revenge tragedy.