Repressed Desire For A Sexual Relationship With A Parent Essay Example
Repressed Desire For A Sexual Relationship With A Parent Essay Example

Repressed Desire For A Sexual Relationship With A Parent Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (662 words)
  • Published: April 10, 2018
  • Type: Film Analysis
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Watch the 1991 movie version of Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson, and discuss the movie as an Oedipal interpretation of the play. Refer to Jone’s essay, the text, and the movie in your paper. Many argue that oedipal complex has been presented in the play Hamlet. Through the essay of Ernest Jones and the theory of oedipal complex formed by Sigmund Freud states that individuals have a repressed desire for sexual involvement with the parent.

This has been portrayed in a movie Hamlet; starring Mel Gibson discusses oedipal interpretation of the play.

In the movie Hamlet, Mel Gibson plays the role of Hamlet where his characteristics are similar to Hamlet's behavior. Jones says that men have this unconscious attraction to their mother may have troubles in relationships with other women. For example, he argues Ophelia’s traits resemble the Queen, the Qu

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een’s sexuality fills Hamlet with loathing due to his "repressed childhood desires" and it is this repression that is causing Hamlet’s "terrible mental state". It was believable to inspect the effect of his oedipal complex, which hindered his relationship with Ophelia.

Hamlet suffers from the Oedipus complex throughout the whole play. When Claudius quotes, "The queen his mother lives almost by his looks," (Hamlet IV. vii. 11-12) revealing a sense of closeness between Hamlet and his mother.

This also reveals the need for Hamlet in his mother's life. Even though Hamlet does love his mother, he is able to fall in love with Ophelia. Quite possibly, Hamlet saw qualities in Ophelia that resembled those of his mother, which would explain the attraction between the two.

Not only that, Hamlet’s hostility towards his mother at her ignorance of

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his father’s murder and her incestuous relationship brings jealousy and hatred in Hamlet's mind.

When Hamlet’s father was murdered by Claudius, the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude became very complex. Hamlet got furious with his mother for marrying Claudius that he decides to be violent towards her, simply to gain control over her. Also, the scene where he tells Ophelia “get thee to a nunnery! shows that Hamlet is irritated by his mothers betrayal and it provokes Hamlet to believe that all women are frail of judgment and weak of mind. Every son loves his mother consciously and tries to please her.

Hamlet had lost the love of his life Ophelia, which sends him into anger mode that has to be exerted somehow. This happens to be desire for his mother, the next love in his life. Based on Freud’s theory and Jones essay shows Hamlet has an Oedipus complex. Throughout the movie Hamlet’s behaviour was very destructiveness. In the chamber scene, Franco Zeffirelli showed the oedipal complex.

His movie had the biggest impact on Jone’s theory.

Zeffirelli captured every move by Hamlet to show his feelings towards his mother. There seems to be a strong sexual tension between Hamlet and his mother, which has led many to believe that she is the object of his desire. In this scene, Hamlets discussion and his hostile behaviour with his mother let them to kiss. The kiss is a dramatic device and also this can be shown that Hamlet and Gertrude share's oedipal complex.

The portrayal of Gertrude’s and Hamlet’s relationship has been much influenced by Jone's theory.

Oedipal complex that Hamlet has for his mother and the whole Gertrude Hamlet

incest can be very contradicting among many who have studied the play and watched the movie. The constant obsession however of the queen and her marriage to Claudius does spark conspiracy of whether it is jealousy or sadness over his father’s death and his actions towards his mother make the audience to realize that Hamlet has oedipal complexity. Therefore Franco Zeffirelli did show oedipal interpretation of the play. Ernest Jones theory was presented in the movie and it led many to believe that Shakespeare want to present the oedipal complex.

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