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Mourning in Hamlet: Turning ancestral ghosts into ancestors
1British Psychoanalytical Society, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis
|December 21, 2023
Summary
Shakespeare's Hamlet illustrates how internal objects can impede mourning through demands for revenge. Developing symbolic function allows for reparation, transforming internal "ghosts" into manageable "ancestors." This process is key to overcoming grief obstacles.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Literary Analysis
- Psychoanalytic Theory
Background:
- Mourning can be obstructed by unresolved internal conflicts.
- Melancholic internal objects may demand reparation and revenge, hindering the grieving process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore obstacles to mourning using literary examples.
- To demonstrate the role of symbolic function in overcoming grief.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of extracts from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
- Application of psychoanalytic concepts to literary interpretation.
Main Results:
- Persistent demands from melancholic internal objects create obstacles to mourning.
- Separateness between self and object fosters symbolic function.
- Symbolic function enables reparation and the transformation of internal "ghosts" into
Conclusions:
- The development of symbolic function is crucial for successful mourning.
- Reparation becomes possible through achieving separateness from internal objects.
- Transforming internal "ghosts" into
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