Psychological Probe of Hamlet The tragic vision of Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is one of his most important works of all time. The play focuses on the protagonist, Hamlet, who experiences a mixture of emotions after the death of his father, King Hamlet, and the remarriage of his mother, Gertrude. Throughout the play, the unconscious holds unpleasant emotions in Hamlet's mind, playing a defensive role against internal conflicts. By neglecting the emotional aspects in various situations, Hamlet analyzes pain and rationalizes unpleasant feelings. Sublimates or redirects an unacceptable desire into an alternative action. Often questioning his beliefs, he hesitates and creates various meaningless acts. Conflicts also arise with his obsessions with his mother. His constant questioning of his mother's sexuality is driven by the conditions of the Oedipus complex. The protagonist, Hamlet, is an important character in the play as he displays numerous psychological conditions, so he can be analyzed and provide a more in-depth interpretation of the play. The protagonist, Hamlet, does not feel emotional aspects in certain situations, such as his father's death. His constant mourning over his father's death is an intellectualization of this painful moment. He rationalizes the unpleasant feelings in his mind and analyzes the causes of his pain: Like Niobe, all tears. Because she, even she - oh God, a beast that wants the discourse of reason would have cried longer! - married my uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father than I was like Hercules. (Hamlet, I, ii, 149 – 153 )This text reveals his intellectualization about his father's death. Hamlet believes that the cause of his pain is due to his mother's haste to go and find a r...... middle of paper...... protagonist Hamlet is not someone who acts, so he can be analyzed a bottom through his relentless speech. His consciousness constantly struggles with internal conflict, especially the Oedipus complex for his mother Gertrude. Although in attempts his conscious actions were guided by the unconscious mind which redirects his killing intention into meaningless actions. It was useless however as he eventually died along with other characters. The play Hamlet is indeed a tragedy, but it can be further understood through an in-depth psychological analysis of the protagonist Hamlet. Works Cited Brizee, Allen. "Psychoanalytic Criticism (1930s to the Present)". purdue.edu. Purdue University, April 21. 2010. Network. 20 April. 2011. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Canada inc., 1988.