Stereotypes In Hamlet

When looking at Hamlet through a feminist lens, Ophelia and Gertrude gain the spotlight. However, with the spotlight on them, they are shown to be dependent upon men and men’s affection, Gertrude needing the affection of Claudius, and Ophelia needing the affection of Hamlet. This shows the women in the play to be seen as weak minded and easily exploited. In the end, not only is Claudius the reason for Gertrude’s death, but Hamlet is the reason for Ophelia’s death. The men they are dependent on control Ophelia and Gertrude’s stories; yet, those men are what drive them to the grave.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a compelling tragedy that to this day still captures reader’s attention. In the play there are only two female characters; when considering the time period in which Hamlet was written, it makes sense.It has been theorized that since Shakespeare wrote the parts of Gertrude and Ophelia for male actors they are not nearly as in depth as the male characters. Considering that the reader sees so little of both female characters it’s fascinating how they fit into the play, each with very different parts but some similar characteristics and opposites. Both female characters had very tragic deaths in the play, by their own hands, that related to their characters quite well. An interesting difference between Ophelia and

Many stereotypes exist that can support the feminist theory and how it is used in Hamlet, but Shakespeare creates the stereotype of being weak that is given to Gertrude along with the minor role that she takes on throughout the play. Gertrude is the Queen of Denmark and should have more power and respect throughout the play. In the scene where Polonius is slain by Hamlet he begins to aggressively say “Such an act/That blurs the grace and

    Hamlet is a character that we love to read about and analyze. His character is so realistic, and he is so romantic and idealistic that it is hard not to like him. He is the typical young scholar facing the harsh reality of the real world. In this play, Hamlet has come to a time in his life where he has to see things as they really are. Hamlet is an initiation story. Mordecai Marcus states "some initiations take their protagonists across a threshold of maturity and understanding but leave them enmeshed in a struggle for certainty"(234).  And this is what happens to Hamlet.

William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a revenge tragedy which concentrates essentially on Hamlet’s struggle about avenging his father’s death. Throughout the play, Ophelia is one of only two leading females,who is constantly manipulated by her father, Polonius, her brother, Laertes and Hamlet. Like most of the traditional women in Shakespeare's plays, she is born with an beautiful look and has a kind femininity. However, this type of female characters obviously forecast the unexpected outcome in Ophelia's life. Her love for Hamlet and her devotion to her family creates conflicts and leads to the greatest tragedy in Hamlet.

With the incline in recognition of the remaining chauvinism in the 21st century, such as the wage gap, and unfair stereotypes women are closer to gender equality than ever before. But, five hundred years ago, when Hamlet was written, the least of women’s worries were stereotypes and unfair wage. In fact, there is an egregious display of inequality between women and men in the play Hamlet, as all the women were completely objectified, and often perpetrate this objectification by submitting to the male ego. Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, is degraded by her own son in many obvious ways.

“Believe me, every heart has its secret sorrows, which the world knows not, and oftentimes we call a man cold, when he is only sad.” -Henry Wadsworth, Longfellow hyperion Humans are remarkably emotional creatures and every single person chooses to express how they feel, differently. In social psychological gender stereotypes, women are foreseen as emotional, passive and sensitive, while men are independent, assertive, and dominant. Embedded in these stereotypes are two main roles, women are allowed to express how they feel without the judgmental eyes of society looking down on them, and men are to remain strong willed, and uphold the integrity of their masculinity.

Shakespeare develops the theme of misogyny through diction around Ophelia and Gertrude in order to depict women as inferior to the men in Hamlet. Shakespeare’s diction through Hamlet’s declaration that “Frailty, thy name is woman!” inserts the idea that weakness is feminine from the first Act of the play. Through placing judgement on his mother for her marriage to Claudius and declaring that frailty is an inherently feminine, Hamlet expresses that he believes himself to be above all women, regardless of who they are. Furthermore, Shakespeare’s diction in stating that women will make “monsters” out of the men they marry indicates the belief that women are manipulative forces who ruin the causes of men, despite the fact that the prominent women

Hamlet is talking about how women with beauty claim to be innocent when in reality they are not. Due to his mother’s betrayal he now thinks all women will be the same way to him. He making a stereotype based on one event that caused him to think that all women are the same. We show this in our scene because of the way we are making it seem like Ophelia is worthless and isn’t treated with respect. All Ophelia wanted to do is check up on Hamlet

Hamlet’s misogynistic ideals come about after his mother decides to not only remarry right after his father’s death, but to remarry his father’s brother of all people. Although his misogynistic behavior only occurs a few times throughout the play, it is the major factor that hinders his relationships with his lover, Ophelia, and his mother, Gertrude. “Frailty, thy name is woman!” (Hamlet, I.ii, 146), a clear depiction of Hamlet’s cynical nature towards women. Hamlet exclaims this because of his mother’s remarriage, what he believes to be her wrong doing.

Throughout the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the character which I empathize the most towards is Hamlet. The reason for this is due to the stereotypes orientated around men. It is often portrayed that to be manly, you should not have emotions or cry. This is evident when king Claudius states," but to persever In obstinate condolement is a course Of impious stubbornness; 'Tis unmanly grief."(Shakespeare 1.2.93-95) King Claudius believes that Hamlet mourning over the death of his father is unmanly and shameful. The kings suggests a ridicule ideology that all fathers die and to just accept the reality of his new father. In addition, his own mother advises him "Do not forever with thy vailèd lidsSeek for thy noble father in the dust."

The helplessness forced upon her by the patriarchy eventually drives her to suicide, as she is left powerless and without options by Hamlet, and society as a whole. Furthermore, the phrase “incapable of her own distress” communicates the idea that Ophelia was unable to continue living with the pain misogyny caused her, pointing again to the possibility that she comitted suicide. This idea is elaborated upon through the similie of “like a mermaid,” which, when Shakespeare penned Hamlet, had the connotation of a woman who lured men to their downfalls. This view of female sexuality presents it as something evil, contributing to the double standard apparent in Ophelia’s world, as well as our own. The patriarchy’s view of female sexuality’s detrimental effects

That he’s mad, ‘tis true” (II.ii.104-105). The only reason Ophelia was capable of breaking the social norm was due to her insanity and she denotes Hamlet’s deteriorating mindset as he tries to shed social constructs and morality in order to become a character of action and motivate his compulsion for revenge. Hamlet represents himself as a misogynist as he views women as corrupt and cruel individuals. The women Hamlet had interacted with help demonstrate his true qualities. Hamlet’s continuous interactions with Ophelia characterize his Anima whereas his inability to create his Self is shown by the comparison with the moral voice of the

From the outset and throughout, Shakespeare in his tragedy ‘Hamlet’ presents the plight of women through the leading ladies of the play, Ophelia and Gertrude. In the patriarchal society Shakespeare presents, misogyny is far from uncommon, as both women are treated as puppets and pawns in the games of the men central to their lives. As per the context of the play, Ophelia is under the control of her father as she is not yet married, her youth also leaving her vulnerable to foul play. However, when a woman becomes married she is now under the direction of her husband which is evident in the treatment of Gertrude by Claudius. The passive acceptance of things these women endured all their lives eventually leads to their own destruction, and as

“Frailty, thy name is woman” (1.2. 150)! This controversial line, followed by several more from the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, displays a common view towards women that portrays them as being weak and reliant on men. Throughout the play, two women, Ophelia and Gertrude, are shown to be dependent on the men in their lives. They both take on a senselessly obedient state of mind. Even though they share this common characteristic, Ophelia and Gertrude are very different characters. Ophelia is a beautiful, young woman who is the love interest of the protagonist, Hamlet. Ophelia obeys her father, Polonius, without hesitation and has very little experience with making her own decisions. Gertrude was the wife of Old Hamlet, and is now the wife of Claudius, the current king and Old Hamlet’s brother. Gertrude desires affection and status more than she cares about the truth of what happened to her late husband. The men in this play have no sense of how they treat the females. This patriarchal way of life was prominent in the late 16th century and early 17th century which was about the time that Hamlet was written and performed. This relationship between the genders is interconnected within the play and with society during that particular time period. The characters of Ophelia and Gertrude were solid examples of how women were viewed as inferior to men during this time in history.