Hamlet's Love for His Mother

Hamlet's Love for His Mother

Hamlet is seen as one of the most complex literary character of all time. The relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude can be interpreted in many ways. Hamlet’s motivation for killing Claudius is not to avenge his father’s death, but because of his love for his mother Gertrude. This is where the Oedipus complex comes into play in Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

The Oedipus complex refers to the thoughts some men have regarding their mother or maternal figures. Many scenes from the play can prove Hamlet did have these thoughts about his mother, such as acts one and three. If the reader knows what he or she is looking for, then these signs can be easily spotted. The story of Oedipus Rex is an ancient myth of a sick and diseased land, which can only be saved by the death of the hero. Hamlet’s situation seems to fit this description well. Harold Fisch feels that the sickness in the state of Denmark has takes over inside Hamlet, (173 – 174). As in the story of Oedipus Rex Hamlet must die so that eventually health and fertility will be restored in Denmark. Denmark is in a state of disgust and corruption. When hamlet and Claudius are killed, no longer will there be corruption and incest, everything will be back to normal. Claudius’ evil deeds and Hamlet’s sick thoughts will be extinguished once for both of them are dead.

Hamlet delays killing Claudius because he understands the feelings Claudius has for Gertrude. Hamlet knows why Claudius wants King Hamlet out of the way. Hamlet knows this because he also wishes he could have Gertrude for himself. Hamlet tells Gertrude, “Good night, but go not to my uncle’s bed” (IV. iii.180). Hamlet does not want Gertrude sleeping in the same bed as Claudius, Hamlet wants her to realized that the king is an evil person. Hamlet does not want her to associate with Claudius in any way.

Ernest Jones feels that “If someone cannot bring himself to do something…it is because there is some hidden reason why a part of him does not want to do it…”(52,53). This seems to be the case in Hamlet. Hamlet constantly finds himself being jealous of Claudius. Hamlet has held back much desire to take his father’s place in his mother’s affection, that is why Hamlet feels the need to get rid of Claudius. Claudius took this place; the place of hamlet had always longed to have, next to his mother.

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... Gertrude to get hurt while this is going on.

Hamlet’s love for his mother was the primary force that drove his life. Everything he did in some way revolved around his love for his mother. His love was unconditional in many ways, and at times it also became sexual. These sexual thoughts that ran thought his mind took charge of his emotion and ultimately his life. This Oedipus complex in the end was a tragedy in itself. As a result any person that got too close to his mother, like Claudius did, would make Hamlet become extremely jealous and make him get violent thought. It was the love for his mother that made him kill Claudius when she was alive. Hamlet knew that Claudius made her happy so deep down Hamlet knowing this was happy too.

Works Cited

Deleany, Ian. “Hamlet and Oedipus” Short Course on Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Fisch, Harold, Hamlet and the Word, the Covenant Pattern in Shakespeare. New York:

Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1971.

Jones, Ernest. Hamlet and Oedipus. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1949

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: The Folger Shakespeare’s Library, 1992.

Uskalis, Eriks. “Hamlet and Oedipus” Introduction to Hamlet.