Why Didn’t Hamlet Kill Claudius When He Got a Chance?
Throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet, we see a man with countless opportunities to avenge his father’s untimely death by killing his uncle, King Claudius. However, Hamlet shrinks away from these responsibilities due to his subconscious Oedipal desires for Queen Gertrude. Hamlet is unaware of his desires as they stem from a part of his subconscious mind, and is unable to kill Claudius as he is the manifestation of Hamlet’s fantasies. If Hamlet were to kill Claudius, it would be comparable to Hamlet killing himself. When Gertrude dies, Hamlet is finally able to avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius as his desires for his mother died along with her.

The Oedipus Complex is the unresolved desire of a child for sexual gratification through the parent of the opposite sex, especially the desire of a son for his mother (Dictionary.com). Hamlet displays these desires and thinks about his mother’s sexuality, and relations with his Uncle Claudius a great deal. Hamlet continuously postpones his act of revenge on Claudius because of the impossible situation he finds himself in, through his oedipal desires for his mother. …show more content…
Claudius is the representation of Hamlets id; the subconscious part of Hamlet’s mind that yearns to sleep with his mother, Gertrude. However, King Hamlet is the representation of Hamlet’s superego. Which is the part of Hamlet’s mind that wishes to control his id, and therefore his desires, and the part of his mind that is rational and real. What makes it so difficult for Hamlet to kill Claudius is that the strength of his id, is much stronger than his superego; as King Hamlet (superego) was put to death by the hands of Claudius (id). Therefore, it is not merely procrastination that disallows Hamlet from killing his uncle. It is the subconscious part of Hamlets psyche, the id, that Claudius represents as Hamlets deepest desires.