Patterns and Representations of Shakespearean Love: Hubris, Infatuation, Agape in Hamlet

The more conceptually elusive love has proven to be, the more it has whetted humanity’s appetite to try to narrow it down. Could one say that Shakespeare is one of the few personalities that managed not only to exemplify almost all recurrent patterns of love, but also to recreate them, in his case, within his plays? Is love weak, or is it so strong that it gives life to a character, only to overwhelm and destroy him/her later? Are there any archetypal emotional stages, or is it a fiery combustion? These are all questions which this paper will attempt to discuss with regard to Hamlet.