The works of Shakespeare have had a profound impact on modern cultures and media, including the English language, classical literature, the transformation of European theatre, and the view of different topics such as love, death, and fate in Western culture. Shakespearean plays popularized over 1,700 words still used in the English language today, such as “bedroom,” “gossip,” “negotiate,” and “amusement,” and the works of many notable writers, such as Charles Dickens, Herman Mellville, and Maya Angelou, have been inspired by his characters, themes, and wordplay. Shakespearean influence continues to extend to film, music, art, design, TV, radio, and games. However, one little-known aspect of Shakespearan influence is its impact on modern psychology.
Shakespeare’s plays have been found to possess a lot of psychological value, and each of his characters are examples of different mindsets in different types of people. For instance, the characters of the Shakespearean play Twelfth Night can represent different views and perspectives on love. The character of Duke Orsino represents the human longing for the feeling of love, but his desire turns to only loving the idea of being with Lady Olivia, rather than Olivia herself. In contrast, Olivia is a character who does not want to be a trophy but rather wants to be loved for who she is. The character of Malvolio represents the dangers of letting ego get the best of us, which can cloud judgement and make us do things that we regret, while between her unrequited feelings for Orsino and her loyalty to Olivia. These themes extethe character of Viola represents the emotional conflict that comes with love, as she is torn nd beyond romance; they can also be used in the context of friendships, family relationships, and the longing for a goal or different circumstances. Many other examples emerge in Shakespeare’s plays: Macbeth illustrates the effects of guilt on the human mind, Othello demonstrates the detrimental consequences of destructive jealousy, and Ophelia represents a loss of identity.
Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud, known as the father of psychoanalysis, was significantly inspired by Shakespeare’s work. He had begun reading Shakespeare at the age of eight and quoted the plays in letters to loved ones. They helped him cope with difficult issues in his life such as grief and failure. He would often analyze Shakespearean plays and their reflection of reality, and he often applied what he learned to real-life psychological situations. The influence of Shakespeare on Freudian psychology has spurred many developments in psychoanalysis and changed the way that psychology is viewed.
