Oedipus Complex is a Freudian Theory which is that "the child takes both of its parents and, more particularly one of them, is the object of erotic wishes". Throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet, the protagonist is consumed with the idea of revenge and how to achieve it. For Hamlet, the desire to enact revenge on Claudius for the murder of his father is ever so prevalent. However, throughout the play, Hamlet struggles to achieve such revenge and prolongs the process to an extent that results in the deaths of others as well. Early in the space, the situation inciting revenge in Hamlet is made very clear with the mysterious confrontation with his father's ghost, who orders him to gain rightful revenge on his behalf. Though Laertes is quick to accuse and seek revenge for the death of his father, Polonius, Hamlet struggles with the notion of revenge and has great difficulty performing it primarily due to the remarriage of his mother, Gertrude, to King Claudius. As a result of his father's murder by Claudius, Hamlet seeks to get avenge his father's death but is hampered throughout the play by Oedipus's affection for his mother. The Freudian psychological concept provides a pertinent explanation for Hamlet's inability to effectively avenge his father's death. Therefore, Hamlet's Oedipus complex is consistently demonstrated throughout the play through his soliloquies, his relationship with his mother and his uncle, and his behavior toward Ophelia.
Hamlet's soliloquies reveal how he thinks and also establish his relationship with the audience.
The Oedipus complex becomes apparent in Hamlet's first soliloquy when he speaks to himself and expresses his sadness and madness for the death of his father and the events that have followed: "Such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue."(Hamlet 1. 2. 157-9) Though saddened by his father's death, the larger cause of Hamlet's misery is Queen Gertrude's disloyal marriage to his uncle, barely within a month of his father's death. Hamlet complains that even "a beast would have mourned a little longer."(Hamlet 1. 2. 150-1) It is apparent for us to know that Hamlet thought it is a incestuous marriage and thus portrays a sense of jealousy towards his uncle as a result of his Oedipal affection towards his mother.
Hamlet has more concern with the marriage of his mother but not the death of the Old Hamlet because he does not mention or express any concern over how his father died until his father's ghost confronts him. This initial reaction to his mother's remarriage coincides with the Oedipal complex. It seems to be Hamlet's belief that his mother should now be his mate instead of wedded to her new husband. This particular soliloquy suggests that Hamlet wants to frame Claudius for the fact that the king's marriage with his mother conflicts with his desire for her than it does from the fact that Claudius is responsible for killing his father....
