The Recurrent Yayati Complex in the Characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Abstract

The following paper attempts to explore the three characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet: The Ghost of Hamlet’s father, Claudius and Polonius, the three paternal figures and analyse the cause of their behavioural complexities using a widely popular myth of Indian classic “Yayati”. Often regarded as the Reverse Oedipus complex by critics, Yayati went on to sacrifice the life of his own son. The aforementioned characters in the play show this particular complexity in their tendency to enforce their will on their offspring or directly plotting the murder of the son as is the case with Hamlet. Additionally, the article also tries to establish the lesser regarded fact that the maternal/female figure becomes the scapegoat in the encounter between son and father which leaves the paper for further exploration from a different approach.