Cervantes, Shakespeare, Freud, and the Translation of Human Consciousness
Christian Brian Tuell
2022 DOI: 10.46569/20.500.12680/70795f69p (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that an unconscious struggle between Hamlet and Gertrude, centered on the overbearing mother, better explains their actions than Freud's Oedipal interpretation and helps account for the play's popularity and longevity. Contends that psychoanalysis, while useful for understanding art and the self, is flawed by its elevation of the paternal over the maternal. |
Abstract
Through a closer reading of text, exploration of Sigmund Freud's creation of psychoanalysis and its Oedipal take on Shakespeare's Hamlet, consideration of the concept of the overbearing mother, and examination of repression due to the typical male centered reading of the play, this paper will argue that there exists an even deeper unconscious struggle between Hamlet and Gertrude that provides a better explanation for their actions and helps shed light on the popularity and longevity of the play.In doing this, we will also consider the three men whose ideas contributed to the creation of psychoanalysis, a template which admittedly does help us better understand art and ourselves, though arguably flawed in its blind spot due to its elevation of the paternal over the maternal.v