Fetishizing of the Ghost in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

Abstract

Freudian investigation of the unconscious has reasonably altered the interpretation of Shakespeare’s seminal work, Hamlet. This research paper analyses the notion of ‘Fetishism’ with reference to Shakespeare’s eponymous play, Hamlet. During the course of this study, an attempt has been made to establish that the Ghost in the play is a conspicuous representation of the psychoanalytic fetish of Hamlet. Moreover, the unconscious motivations that underlie the development of fetishes and the way they affect the thoughts, feelings and behavior on a conscious level will also be explored. The paper first charts out the intricate patterns associated with the concept of ‘Fetishism’ and then makes an effort to establish Hamlet as a fetishist play. Hence, examining the tangled nature of Hamlet’s unconscious oedipal desire is the basis for this psychoanalytic study of the play.