Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Shakespeare’s Hamlet
A mini-course presented by
James W. Stone
April 19, May 31, and June 28, 2026
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Eastern Time
via Zoom
4.5 credit hours
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This mini-course explores Shakespeare’s Hamlet through the lens of psychoanalytic theory, examining the psychological dimensions of the play’s characters, themes, and dramatic structure. Drawing on classical and contemporary psychoanalytic frameworks, the course investigates issues such as mourning and melancholia, repression, desire, family dynamics, and the unconscious motivations that shape Hamlet’s actions.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how psychoanalytic criticism illuminates Hamlet’s enduring complexity and relevance, while also engaging broader questions about subjectivity, identity, and interpretation in literature and clinical thought.
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Apply psychoanalytic concepts to the interpretation of Hamlet.
- Analyze key themes in Hamlet such as grief, repression, and ambivalence through a psychoanalytic framework.
- Evaluate the relevance of psychoanalytic literary criticism to clinical thinking and practice.
- Integrate insights from psychoanalytic readings of literature into broader understandings of human behavior and internal conflict.
James W. Stone is a lecturer on Shakespeare and early modern literature at American University and on Shakespeare at the Osher Institute at Johns Hopkins University. He taught at the American University in Cairo and at the National University of Singapore. He is the author of Crossing Gender in Shakespeare: Feminist Psychoanalysis and the Difference Within (Routledge, 2010) and articles on Shakespeare, Milton, the Renaissance Ovid, film theory, and contemporary Egyptian art. In 2024 James Newlin and he co-edited the essay collection New Psychoanalytic Readings of Shakespeare: Cool Reason and Seething Brains (Routledge). He and Catherine Bates are the editors of Shakespeare and Psychoanalysis: Method in the Madness (forthcoming in Spring 2026 from Palgrave Macmillan).
Course Fee:
APM Member - $0 Non-Member - $200
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Continuing Medical Education
ACCME Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and the Dallas Psychoanalytic Center. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this live activity for a maximum of _4.5_ AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Disclosure Statement
The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME's identification, mitigation and disclosure of relevant financial relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support.
We offer Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for this activity. We understand professionals from other disciplines may also wish to participate. Please note that it is the responsibility of each participant to verify with their respective licensing or certification boards whether CME credits will be accepted as Continuing Education (CE) credits for their specific credentialing needs.
We recommend checking directly with your board to ensure compliance with any continuing education requirements applicable to your profession.
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