Hamlet in Freud's Thoughts: Reinterpretations in the Psychoanalytic Literature

An involuntary recall of Hamlet was a source of inspiration to Freud during his process of creating psychoanalysis; later, another instance of an unintentional evocation facilitated Reik's understanding of a patient's dream and dynamics. In view of the creation of a new Hamlet film by Branagh which may be evoked by film-buff patients, therapists or supervisors, this paper presents a selection of interpretations in the psychoanalytic literature of Shakespeare's masterpiece.