Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare over four hundred years ago, takes place in Denmark, and follows the main character, Prince Hamlet directly after his father’s death. Hamlet can be analyzed through the lens of psychoanalysis as it pertains to Prince Hamlet’s unconsciousness; more specifically, his id, ego, and superego while also considering how the characters around him affect his conscious actions, such as the Ghost and Horatio.
Psychoanalysis has developed over time, starting with Sigmund Freud, who is sometimes referred to as the father of psychoanalysis. The study of psychoanalysis was further developed by Carl G. Jung, Northrop Frye, and Jacques Lacan. Each of these social scientists took a slightly different stance on…