William Shakespeare 's ' Hamlet '

Hamlet can be viewed through a feminist lens by focusing on Ophelia and Gertrude and how various other male characters treat them. Ophelia and Gertrude are dismissed as characters through the entire play because they are women. Hamlet refers to women as “frailty,” implying that they are weak and are dependent on men. Reason suggests that with out the males, Ophelia and Gertrude would simply have no story.

Claudius’s strong ambitions to become king lead him to poisoning and killing Hamlet’s father and Hamlet falling into a state of melancholy. Due to his deep sadness, Hamlet’s relationships with Ophelia and Gertrude deteriorate. In response to Gertrude marrying Claudius just shortly after his father’s death, Hamlet calls women weak because of their unwillingness to control their sexual appetites. This is shown when Hamlet says “Frailty, thy name is woman” (1, ll, 148) when he is expressing his anger on their marriage. Hamlet is confused at why his mother, who had shown so much affection to his father, would forget all her love for him so fast and marry Claudius. Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia is also damaged because, after watching his mother get married to Claudius, Hamlet thinks all women, including Ophelia, are weak and lusty. This is shown when Hamlet says “I’ve heard all about you women and your cosmetics too.

Hamlet is not only angered with the fact of his father’s death, but also with his mother’s decision to marry Claudius. Devastated by his mother’s decision to marry so soon after her husband’s death, Hamlet becomes skeptical about women in general. He shows a particular obsession with what he perceives to be a connection with female sexuality and moral corruption. He almost develops hatred towards women because of his mother’s decision. This hatred occurs and is shown with his relationship with Ophelia. He urges Ophelia to go to a nunnery rather than experience the dishonesty of sexuality. This hinders Hamlet from experiencing a love that is really needed at this time of his loss. One can say that this is another flaw, which Hamlet is unaware of.

Quintessentially speaking, revenge is a thing that many have sought in response to a tragic event unfolding. Typically, as a result, vengeance is contemplated upon by the victim as a means of retribution, a way of making things right and seeking justice on the behest of the victim, if the law will not grant justice through due process due to corrupt forces stemmed deep within it- corrupt seeds of a corrupt plant. Therefore, revenge become an apparent option for those willing to walk that path [of no return]. However, instances of revenge not being attained in the “clear cut” way it is ordinarily acquired have occurred from time to time throughout history. One of the most prominent examples of unconventional revenge attainment can be found within the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, entailing the revenge path walked by its eponymously named main character, Prince Hamlet. Specifically, his intentful delay in attaining his revenge against his uncle Claudius for his direct role in the death of his father, King Hamlet. This literary conundrum has dumbfounded literary critics for over 400 years and counting- due to the fact that a universally accepted consensus amongst them as well as the general public as to why Hamlet delayed his revenge has not yet been reached.

Both Gertrude and Ophelia’s sexualities are seen as detrimental things by the various men in the play, with Hamlet especially focusing on this. For Hamlet, the women in his life are seemingly put on pedestals, and the worst thing they could be are sexually impure. Hamlet begins losing his sanity when Ophelia is kept from him, and when she tries to talk to him, he denounces her crudely and insults her sexuality (“Get thee to a nunnery!” (3.1 135)). After this instance, for Hamlet Ophelia represents “merely a spectre of his psychic fears. This spectre of the dishonest woman figures, in his neurotic projections, as a duplicitous whore.”(Dane, 410). This is another contributing factor to his downfall. Hamlet’s obsession with Gertrude sleeping with Claudius is also a major conflict for him. After the Ghost implores him not to harm his mother, Hamlet internally still blames her for her ‘incestuous act’ with Claudius, saying “O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!” (1.5 106-107). Hamlet’s disgust with his mother is a recurring theme throughout the play, and it all stems back to the fact that women, to Hamlet, must be kept pure. Since Hamlet is an idealist, he cannot deal with his ‘perfect’ mother “in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, stew’d in corruption, honeying and making love over the nasty sty” (3.4 92-95). Dealing with this internally, Hamlet becomes more erratic and physically acts out against his mother. Hamlet’s obsession and subsequent rage with his mother’s sexuality also directly affected him in the sense that he, in a fit of passion, killed Polonius who was spying on them. Ophelia went insane after finding out, and Claudius was thus able to convince Laertes to kill Hamlet. This physically led to his ultimate downfall - his

Women really can’t catch a break. Whether it’s to be shamed for failing to meet a stereotype, or the double standard to following one too strictly, people are constantly judged by their personality and whether it is adequate for the society that a person lives in. For women, the stereotype is to be attractive but also appear completely innocent, but if you’re too naive then you’re foolish. For men, the stereotype is to take what is yours, and if you give at all you’re weak and effeminate. This toxic double standard forces people to internalise hatred onto themselves, and then project it onto others, which creates a vicious cycle of problematic thinking. But really, the insult is to not be a woman. In Hamlet, this is shown in two forms: breaking and following stereotypes, and the way the frustration of said roles are projected onto others. Said projections are indirect aggression, passive actions made out of spite, and direct aggression, which are bold actions clearly defined as to create conflict. The characters specifically representing this plight are Queen Gertrude the masculine woman, Ophelia the ideal romanticised woman, and Hamlet the feminine man.

As the play begins Hamlet states “...Frailty, thy name is woman!” which although was directed at Gertrude also highlights Hamlet’s overall feelings about women, which is that they are weak, and incapable of making rational decisions(1.2 146). Hamlet expresses his anger for his mother by stating “...O most wicked speed, to post/With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” by this he illuminates that only selfish and promiscuous women would remarry that quickly let alone to her late husband’s brother (1.2 58-59). Hamlet clearly has issues with women, and

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

In William Shakespeare play, the chief protagonist hamlet shows a negativity view towards women in his life. Hamlet consider that his mother and Ophelia have deceived him through their action; Gertrude married only a mother after hamlet father died and Ophelia heeds her father right not to see hamlet despite confessing her love to him. In this way hamlet views this two women as a fragile and too dependent on the man in his lives which makes him say “fragily, thy name is woman (page 271). In a soliloquy in the second scene of Act I, deploring his mother’s indecent marriage, Hamlet says “Frailty, thy name is women!” Most critics have interpreted this statement as are mark toward all the women in general referring for their moral weakness and distrustfulness advocating the fact of Hamlet’s being a misogynist. But it is also not inappropriate to say that, Hamlet, in this statement, does not mean “frailty” for moral weakness or distrustfulness. By “frailty” he can also mean the flaw of being dependence upon men in women. Gertrude is a woman who values status and affection more urgently than moral righteousness and respect. She is extremely dependent upon men in her life. That is why after king Hamlet’s death, when she finds her position insignificant; she quickly gets married to Claudius only to restore her earlier status which she values more

Pablo Picasso once said, “There are only two types of women - goddesses and doormats.” In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the protagonist, Hamlet, seeks revenge on his uncle, Claudius, for his father’s murder, and for marrying his mother, Gertrude. Misogyny is one of the many themes in Hamlet, and as the play progresses, Hamlet demonstrates misogyny in various forms through his relationships with Ophelia and his mother, Gertrude. A woman's strengths and weaknesses lie within her beauty, allowing some men to believe their character and intentions as deceitful, often leading them to have less respect for women. Hamlet’s has a disrespectful attitude towards women because of the circumstances he faces with his mother and Ophelia. According to

He understands that women should be characterized as solely virtuous beings and should not be capable of acting unmercifully and performing transgressions or to simply behave how they desire to. During scene 1, Hamlet manipulates Ophelia to get back at her father after he objectifies her love in effort to anger Hamlet, he treats her more of an object than a human and disconcerts her completely. He accuses her of being a "breeder of sinners" and orders Ophelia to a "nunnery" (lll. l 131-132) As a result of Hamlet’s enragement caused from his mother’s remarriage he generalises and has concluded that all females have the same qualities and abilities, they are lustful, distrustful, unavailing creatures.

Gender Analysis of Hamlet Gender roles have always had a presence in society; it started from the inception of life and will live into everlasting eternity. The tragedy of Hamlet is no exception; Shakespeare revealed the expectation of male and female’s behavior, attitude, and obligations. The characters within Hamlet were in constant strife, endeavoring to become the ideal character of their gender. These internal battles they fought caused a multitude of conflicts and calamity throughout the plot.

Shakespeare presents Hamlets continuous comments towards his mother to present women of the play to be immoral; constructing Gertrude’s actions as the primary reasoning for Hamlet to believe that women in general society are immoral. Hamlet does not refer to his mother’s physical capability; instead “frailty, thy name is woman” (I.ii. 146) is used to comment on her moral state. Shakespeare positions his audience by this statement to recognise Gertrude, being the epitome of all immoral behaviour in her frailness as a woman. In the construction that she is morally frail, Shakespeare generates an image that she can be taken in and manipulated by a patriarchal society for which she has no saying about; again Shakespeare generates the notion women of hamlet are immoral. In act 3 scene 4 Hamlet comes to his mother, where she wishes to speak with him however, hamlet goes on to speak of her immoral behaviour saying “You go not till I set you up a glass where you may see the inmost part of you” (iii.iv.19-20). Referring to the choice to marry Claudius; remarking his hatred towards the belief of Gertrude’s immoral standards. Once again, this reflects upon the condescending empowerment to comment on the immorality of a woman, that men in Hamlet do. The Elizabethan era presents a time where it was highly immoral for women to take part in any promiscuous behaviour such as the May Day

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, it is clearly evident Prince Hamlet is overcome with “madness” due to his father’s murder and other malicious actions taken against him. Throughout the play, there are many examples of how Hamlet displays his insanity due to certain situations he experiences and how he handles them. Hamlet shows his madness through the killing of Polonius, his treatment of Ophelia, his thoughts of suicide, and the treatment of his mother Gertrude.

“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.