Big I, Eye, Aye.

Hamlet’s personal reality has many holes in it in regards to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The first four levels of the pyramid have the following holes:

- sex (cannot see Ophelia any longer, soon after play starts)

- security of body (eventually, King wants him to be killed, and then Laertes does too)

- security of morality (brothers killing brothers, a sister in-law marrying her brother in-law)

- security of the family (his father’s brother killed him, his mother weds very soon after her beloved husband dies. His family is very unstable)

- loses the entire level of love/belonging, which is friendship, family, and sexual intimacy (his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spying on him, his family has disintegrated as shown above, and his lover, Ophelia, has been forced to stop seeing him and goes insane)

- respect of others (the people he looked up to before – his mother, his uncle – have betrayed him. Everyone else is going along with it instead of calling out the betrayal)

Because these levels make up who Hamlet is, and each stable level creates a stable personality/reality, holes wreak havoc on him. What makes this worse is that prior to his father’s death, all his levels were filled and stable. As the betrayals and upheavals occur, certain parts of the pyramid are being removed. Effectively this is like pulling blocks out of a Jenga tower. The more that are pulled out, the less stable Hamlet’s reality and sense of self is.

Thesis: Was Hamlet really in love with Ophelia? Can it be proven through his words, or his actions?

Reason: Yes – Ophelia’s proof. (words)

Example: The love letter written by him. II. ii. lines 109-124 
” Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.”

Example: Conversation with father of Hamlet’s sayings/doings.   I. iii. 99-100, 110-111, 113-114

Reason: Yes – Hamlet’s proof. (words and actions)

Example: Jumping into her grave and going partially insane. V. i. 271-273   V. i. 276-286

Example: Wandering into her room one night and clutching her after not being able to see her for a long time.  II. i. 75-100

Reason: No – certain behaviors/actions show that he doesn’t, even if he/she says that he does.

Example: Would not have bedded her if he loved her – would have married her, likely.

Example: Hateful speech in hall with her. Even though it was provoked, to have such a heated, hateful speech must have some kernel of truth.    III. i. 117-119, 121-130, 136-142

The Family of Old Hamlet

Crisis: Betrayal. Old Hamlet’s brother murders him, then weds his new-widowed wife. Prince Hamlet discovers this and is horrified at his mother and uncle’s incestuous betrayal. Prince Hamlet then wants to show Claudius to the world for what he is, as well as murder him.

Coping method: Prince Hamlet copes by plotting revenge, and then exacting it. He concocts an intricate plan, plays at being crazy, and succeeds in avenging his father. Claudius exiles Hamlet.

The Family of Polonius

Crises: Aiding in betrayal of Old Hamlet. Ophelia is in love with Hamlet and goes mad. Prince Hamlet kills Polonius, which leads to Laertes vowing revenge.

Coping method: Ophelia cannot cope with the drama surrounding here – she goes insane and dies in mysterious circumstances. Laertes copes by also plotting revenge against Hamlet himself.

The Family of Old Fortinbras

Crisis: Old Hamlet and Fortinbras fought for Denmark many years before the time of the play. Old Hamlet slays Fortinbras, and thus Prince Fortinbras cannot lay claim to Denmark. He is not pleased by this.

Coping method: Prince Fortinbras plans to attack Norway. His uncle discourages him, so he attacks a neighboring country instead. On his way back, he does attack Norway, and takes it over.

            The stereotypical roles of a nuclear family are fulfilled or disintegrated in the play Hamlet. The family of Old Hamlet strays the furthest from these roles. Before the death, it seems likely that they were very stereotypical- the father as the leader, the mother devoted to him, the son off to college. Later, the role of the stereotypical father is switched from Old Hamlet to Claudius. Hamlet does not approve of this, so he continuously disobeys his new father and loathes his mother. They have the makings of a nuclear family – mother, father, and child. But, their actions do not make a rosy picture of the nuclear family.

            The family of Polonius fulfills these roles very well. Polonius is wise, and offers up precious wisdom to his children, who listen and obey their father carefully. The two children, Laertes and Ophelia are close and loving. They are not stereotypical in the way that their mother is never mentioned. However, they do make the most of what they have.

            The family of Fortinbras is the furthest from the nuclear family. Both his parents are absent. Strangely, he is also the most ‘normal’ of the play.