After the reading of the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, one may concluded that Hamlet is not an Oedipal character. According to the story of Oedipus, his father, Laius, learned from a prophet that Oedipus would kill him. Upon this revelation, Laius left his son to die on a mountain, where Oedipus was found and raised by the King of Corinth. Believing that the King of Corinth was his real father, Oedipus fled Corinth after he had learned from an oracle that he would someday kill his real father. On Oedipus's journey, he passes Laius (his real father) on the road, they argue and Oedipus kills Laius, not knowing Laius was his true father. Oedipus eventually marries his mother, Queen Jocasta, unaware of her true identity; the oracle had also predicted this. The Oedipus complex, a theory, introduced by Sigmund Freud states, "the individual suffers from a repressed sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex while having a rivalry with the parent of the same sex."
             Even though Hamlet and Oedipus both kill their fathers, their intentions are different. By definition Hamlet cannot be looked upon as an example as an Oedipal character, Hamlet's true father is dead. In the story of Oedipus, Oedipus kills his true father due to a quick, impulsive rage of anger Hamlet, on the other hand, kills his step father out of a slow, leisurely, plotted out revenge. "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder," states King Hamlet's Ghost (Act 1 scene 5 line 26).
             In the play it may be implied that Hamlet loves his mother, however it is not implied he is in love with her or lust for her sexually. It is obvious Hamlet loves Ophelia through the emotion of sex and romance and loves his mother out of obedience and respect. "I shall in all my best obey you, madame," states Hamlet to Gertrude (Act1 scene 2 line124). Hamlets love for Ophelia is expressed in his
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