The Oedipus complex, a concept developed by Sigmund Freud, refers to a child's feelings of desire for his or her opposite-sex parent and jealousy and rivalry with his or her same-sex parent. These feelings are most often associated with the child's relationship with his or her father, and are thought to be a necessary part of the child's psychosexual development.
In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, there is evidence to suggest that the main character, Prince Hamlet, experiences the Oedipus complex. This can be seen in his relationships with his mother, Queen Gertrude, and his uncle, King Claudius.
One piece of evidence for Hamlet's Oedipus complex is his strong feelings of jealousy and resentment towards his uncle, who has married his mother and taken over the throne after the death of Hamlet's father. Throughout the play, Hamlet repeatedly refers to Claudius as a "murderer" and a "villain," and he is clearly unhappy about his mother's remarriage. This jealousy and resentment towards Claudius can be seen as an expression of Hamlet's desire for his mother and his feeling of competition with his uncle for her affection.
Another piece of evidence is the way that Hamlet treats his mother. He is highly critical of her behavior and accuses her of being superficial and shallow for marrying Claudius so soon after the death of his father. This criticism can be seen as a manifestation of Hamlet's desire for his mother and his feelings of rivalry with his uncle for her attention.
In addition, there are several passages in the play where Hamlet expresses his own sexual desire for his mother. In one particularly explicit scene, he speaks of his desire to "speak daggers to her, but use none" (Act III, Scene 2). This suggest that Hamlet is struggling with his own forbidden desires for his mother and is trying to suppress them.
Overall, the evidence in Hamlet supports the idea that Prince Hamlet experiences the Oedipus complex in his relationships with his mother and uncle. His jealousy and resentment towards Claudius, his criticism of his mother, and his own sexual desires for her all suggest that he is struggling with feelings of desire for his mother and rivalry with his uncle for her affection. These feelings are a natural part of psychosexual development, and they play a significant role in the complex character of Hamlet and his relationships with the other characters in the play.
