Sigmund Freud's Structural Model Of The Psyche

Emotion twists Hamlets feeling towards his mom and Claudius. Readers can use Sigmund Freud’s Structural Model of the Psyche which includes ID, EGO, and SUPEREGO to decode William Shakespeare’s main character, Hamlet. Id is defined as the most influential urges that a character does and reacts immediately to instincts, meaning nobody motivated the character to do what he/she does. Expanding, ego can be seen as something motivating the character to do something while the character still has personal opinions. In other words, the ego is made with reason and is slightly justified. Then the last element is superego, the total influence and motivation made by someone else, leaving no room for conscience.

Beginning with Act I, readers see Hamlet going

Ophelia, Hamlets lover, goes to her father to tell him about Hamlet how different he is being. She says to him “As if he had been loosèd out of hell to speak of horrors— he comes before me” (II.i.93-94), she says this because she is worried for Hamlet. Polonius then says he is going to tell the king “Come, go we to the King. This must be known,” (II.i.130-131), this is the first time the King will hear Hamlet is starting to go mad. To a readers perspective, they will see Hamlet following a plan that was ordered from the spirit to avenge his fathers death. Others characters such as Guildenstern and Rosencrantz do not know of Hamlets plan and they ask him if he is ok, and in response he says “When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” (II.ii.402-403) meaning that even though he may seem mad, he understands what he is doing. Readers can see ego rather than id by a soliloquy he says “A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit— and all for nothing! For Hecuba!” (II.ii.583-585) and putting that into his current life, he is starting to feel guilty for not stopping the marriage while he could because of the lack of drive to kill his uncle. Meaning that his conscious is still active and still plays a roll however, Hamlet is still going through the plan King Hamlets spirit gave him. Going into Act III, Hamlet plans to

For example, the death of Ophelia struck him without notice, especially for being blamed for her death by her brother, Laertes. Readers can see this when Hamlet says “Hear you, sir, What is the reason that you use me thus? I loved you ever.” (V.i.307-309). Later, Hamlet overhears Claudius about his plan to ship Hamlet off to England, but immediately upon his arrival, will be killed. Now knowing that, Hamlet decides to go but only for readers to know that he switched ships to one that will be going home rather than England. Then only to surprise Claudius and avenging his fathers death.With Claudius now stabbed deep enough from Hamlet, Laertes comes in to finish the task. With Claudius soon to be dead, Laertes punctures Hamlet with a poisoned sword only for Hamlet to stab Laertes. Before Laertes dies he says “ Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me. (Dies)” (V.ii.362-363). Right after Laertes dies, Hamlet is close to death as well., with Hamlets last words being “So tell him, with th’ occurrents, more and less, Which have solicited—the rest is silence. (O, O, O, O!) (Dies)” (V.ii.394-396). This Act shows readers specifically the superego element by showing exactly who he motivation was from (the spirit) and his only goal was to kill Claudius.

To summarize, Hamlet is a play that, in the end, nobody wins. Also with everyone dead at the end of the act,