So far I have read three analyses regarding the importance of Hamlet by several renowned philosophers and writing. The latest one in this analytical saga is authored by non other than Sigmund Freud, a man whose very name is practically synonymical with psychology. Freud takes a psychological approach to Hamlet instead of the more common literary interpretation. Reading this I could not help but reminisce about my philosophy course last year. I have dealt with the Austrian's texts in the past. When I say "dealt", I mean it in its most respectful form, I loved Freud and his beliefs, I just found it rather difficult to digest. However it is time to see whether the seeds planted a little over a year ago have blossomed.
In a very Freud-esque manner, Hamlet's psyche is immediately described as being handicapped by doubt, preventing him from acting. Other essays dealt with this issue and addressed it in an almost identical fashion to the one Freud uses. However he takes into consideration Hamlet's ability to act, rather than his inability to so, unlike other writers before him have failed to do so. To prove his point he brings up Polonius' murder, an unforeseen act caused by a sudden outburst of rage. What he believes handicaps Hamlet is not his methodological reasoning nor his intellect, but his conscience reprimanding his murderous thoughts. His conscience plays such an important role in controlling the prince's actions that it actually manages to suppress his hatred and anger towards his uncle. I believe that by doing this Freud is reminding the reader that Hamlet is indeed as human as any of us and despite his appetite for revenge, he cannot bear pollute his conscience with the atrocities of murder. In this sense Hamlet, relinquishes any thought of becoming a man like his uncle Claudius, who murdered his father in cold blood.
Freud's analysis is also rich with a healthy dose of Shakespeare fan service and facts which may help the reader understand the play better. Freud believes that both Macbeth and Hamlet take heavy inspiration in the death of his father and his 11 year old son Hamnet, both written shortly after said events. Now if you wouldn't be alone if you think that it is no mere coincidence that Hamlet and Hamnet sound strikingly similar. Both Freud and myself belief that his son's death played a pivotal role in the development of the play and the significance of Hamlet trying to avenge his father. It may be that Shakespeare was trying to cope with his both his father's and his son's death by writing a play, but as Freud simply puts it, its his own interoperation.a
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