Hamlet- The Role Of Women

1123 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The portrayal of women in Shakespeare's plays

	

	Today women have many rights. We can vote, work, and even voice our own opinions. In the past women were seen as mothers and housekeepers, always taught to respect, listen, and serve there husbands or the man of the house. In those days this was considered normal, therefore women had no choice but to obey and do as they were told. In Hamlet, Shakespeare portrays a similar relationship between women and men. He allows men to hold the higher position in the causing, them to treat women as lesser people and believed that women should listen to them and do as they were told.

	Ophelia a young women in Hamlet, she represents how women are treated. Ophelia obeys several different men in the play. One of the men is Hamlet. Ophelia is sixteen much younger than Hamlet, Hamlet is twenty one and in college. The Maturity of each persons mind depends on there age. Ophelia is a woman who has been taught to believe and listen to men such as her father. When she is now faced with wether to believe Hamlet or doubt his love for she once again she disregards her feelings and trusts Hamlet. Hamlet pursued Ophelia, he saw a young women whome he could satisfy him self with. In the play Hamlet does not court ophelia the only place they are together is in Ophelia’s bedroom "He hath, my lord, of late made tenders Of his affection to me"(pg 17 line 99). Hamlet visits her bedroom at night and makes love to her. Ophelia believes this a relationship but is too young to know what a real relationship is. Hamlet writes her letters to make her believe that letters are a representation of Love. Ophelia did not refuse Hamlet everything that Hamlet wanted from Ophelia he got. She stops thinking for herself and allows men to think for her. Ophelia allows Hamlet to "make love to her" because Hamlet wants to. Men in those days had a great deal of power. Women were not thought of being much more than lovers and house keepers, there minds belonged to there men. Ophelia does not know wether the relationship was ever real. Hamlet is another man controlling her to make her believe that he really loved her. like her father, he can control her mind and make her believe what he wants her to.

	Another man she obeys is her father, Polonius, Lord Chamberlain. In the play she believes her father has her life in his hands, she will never d...

... middle of paper ...

...ow her how wrong it is but it is a s though she can not see through her own eyes she agrees with Claudius and repeat whatever his oppinions are.

		Queen. I doubt it is no other but the main,

			His father’s death and our o’erhasty marriage

			(pg 39 line 56).

Here the queen does not care whether her own son is hurt by her marriage. She seems to be heartless when she should be full of heart warming feelings. As a women in the play she allowed Claudius to instill his views in her. And just like Ophelia she subdues her feelings and allows a man-Claudius- to make his opinion an feelings hers.

	In making Hamlet I believed that Shakespear gave men the higher position in the play. Such as the title of the book Hamlet who is also the prince in the play. Most of the main characters in the play are men. The role of the women in the play existed in all the characters in the play. Women were portrayed as slow, weak, neurotic characters who were easily led astray and were easily controlled. Maybe Shakespear did not believe in women as strong characters due to the age he lived in but, now in the year 2000 this is un heard of.

Show More
Related

  • Exploring Hamlet’s State of Mind

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    Clearly, Hamlet’s concern for the Queen, his mother, is of genuine association to the death of King Hamlet. Within this solitary thought, Hamlet realizes the severity of his mother’s actions while also attempting to rationalize her mentality so that he may understand, and perhaps, cope with the untimely nature of the Queen’s marriage to Claudius. Understandably, Hamlet is disturbed. Gertrude causes such confusion in Hamlet that throughout the play, he constantly wonders how it could be possible that events would turn out the way they did.

    Read More

  • Men In Ophelia's Life

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play Hamlet, Ophelia’s downfall is dependent on love. Being one of the two women in the play, Ophelia lives in a very male dominated society. When the ties are broken between her relationships with the significant men in her life, it breaks Ophelia to

    Read More

  • Does Hamlet Really Love Ophelia Research Paper

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    First there is the killing of Polonius. When he kills Polonius, the father of his girlfriend, he shows no sign of regret. No guilt. He is so caught up in his own little world of revenge, he doesn't even think of the fact that he just killed an innocent old man and the father of Ophelia. In fact, there is no point in the entire text in which he even mentions Ophelia. This just goes to show that he doesn’t truly care about Ophelia, which as state is the necessary component of love. The second deciding scene is that of Ophelia’s funeral. Hamlet has gone the whole text since the play in act three scene two without a word about Ophelia. Then *bang* Ophelia is dead and he's seeing her funeral. He observes as a distraught Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, throws himself into her grave in grief. Hamlet’s response to this is not a of shared sorrow but of competition. He starts by saying to Laertes “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum” (5.1.284-287). Rather than just grieve for her, he fights with her grieving brother about who loved her more. While this may seem like a loving gesture, there has been no other proof of his love for her throughout the play which make this seem a bit strange. It is as if he wants to have loved her so that he can have emotions that are more important than everyone else’s. Hamlet even accuses Laertes of just trying “to outface” him “with leaping in her grave” (5.1.295). Hamlet would actually be grieve the lose of Ophelia and not fighting over whose emotions matter more if he had truly loved

    Read More

  • Hamlet And Gertrude's Relationship Essay

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    Her husband just died and she didn’t go through a morning process that every human being goes through after losing someone close to them, especially a spouse. Instead of this, she goes right ahead and marries her now dead husband’s brother, Claudius. Something definitely isn’t right in her head. From this there are a few things we can conclude. Possibility one is that she had a love affair with Claudius for quite some time and now was finally her chance to make a move and get married to him giving him the status of King.

    Read More

  • Misogynist Quotes In Hamlet

    1545 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ever since Eve was fashioned from Adam’s rib, men have viewed women as objects that they use and abuse like an extension themselves. This idea exists because over time men have become to see themselves as superior beings. This idea has been reinforced by years of culture and tradition; it can be found in the media, the workplace and has even made its way into literature through the mind of William Shakespeare. In his play Hamlet, he explores themes of sexuality and how men view women. One of the ways he does is through the character, Hamlet, who has the idea that men are superior to women. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare the main character Hamlet, displays characteristics that proves that he is misogynist. These

    Read More

  • Misogyny In Hamlet Essay

    1133 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hamlet shows much anger and disrespect to the women in his life. Ophelia’s believing her father’s words breaks Hamlets heart, being the reason for his treatment towards not just her but his mother. Ophelia

    Read More

  • The Poison Metaphor in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Claudius spoke this astounding speech, as the new king, he made it quite clear that he was sympathetic for this horrific tragedy. He seems to use this speech to address his marriage with Queen Gertrude. “With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,” (1.2.12) One second he is talking about the Queen’s former husband, his own brother, and not even two seconds after the fa...

    Read More

  • Gender Inequality In Hamlet

    2145 Words  | 5 Pages

    It is evident that Hamlet defines Ophelia by her sexuality. Hamlet does not value her as the woman she is. Instead, Hamlet views her as a mere object. Hamlet makes various sexual innuendos towards Ophelia. For example, this is apparent in 2.3, when Hamlet is speaking to Ophelia. Hamlet says, “It would cost you a groaning to take off mine edge” (3.2.250). Hamlet is making this regard to her in public and Ophelia lets him continue. Ophelia because of her gender continues to let Hamlet exploit and oppress her. Ophelia embodies a mutual assessment of femininity. Author Pragati Das writes, “Ophelia, it would seem, wholly at the mercy of the male figures throughout her life, is certainly a victim character” (Das 38). Ophelia does not have any alternative thoughts; she only responds with a simple sentence, “Still better and worse” (3.2.251). Ophelia is not standing up for herself, instead of she “…expresses acquiescence, uncertainty, and obeisance; she utters half lines” (Fischer 2). The power of Hamlet is manipulating Ophelia and it this shown through from her dull reaction of such crudities. Hamlet sums his vulgar and suggestive speech with, “For, oh, for, oh, the hobby-horse is forgot” (3.2.23–24). After Hamlet’s pressures of sexual suggestions, Ophelia is found to be under the absolute dominance of Hamlet’s demands, and as a result, her sanity diminishes. Ophelia’s song reflects on Hamlet, her father, and life

    Read More

  • The Analysis of the Character Ophelia on Hamlet

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Elizabethan times, Ophelia is restricted as a woman. She is obedient to the commands of the men in her life although she often attempts to do the right thing. Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet all have a grasp on Ophelia and who she is. She does not have the freedom to change her fate as Hamlet does. Shawna Maki states, “Ophelia’s life is determined by the whims of men who control her” (1). Polonius takes advantage of his relationship with Ophelia by using her to achieve a better relationship with Claudius. Polonius and Laertes teach Ophelia how to behave, therefore, abusing their power in allowing Ophelia to become who she wants to be (Brown 2).

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in Hamlet

    1513 Words  | 4 Pages

    The power that the men have over the women in the play provides for the comparison between the two genders. The women are portrayed as weak and submissive, so when Hamlet is accused of becoming a “woman,” it greatly offends him. Because revenge and violence drive the play it revolves around the men.

    Read More

  • The Patriarchal Society in Hamlet

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most of the worlds cultures follow a patriarchal society and this dates back to the beginning of time. In Hamlet the patriarchal society is clearly depicted by the characters throughout the play. Hamlet is portrayed as an indecisive character when it comes to making a serious decision, for example when he contemplates on killing Claudius. This shows the masculinity and femininity aspect of his character, which offends the ideals in a patriarchal society. Claudius, Polonius, Laertes, Ophelia and Gertrude follow the usual gender roles in a patriarchal society, as for Hamlet, his characteristics come from both gender roles.

    Read More

  • Anti-Feminism In Hamlet

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s dramatic works there is no room for the heroic or the strong woman, and therefore many of his plays can be perceived as being antifeminist. Often he portrays women as weak, mad, sexual, and as even witches. Hamlet is no exception. The only women in the play, Ophelia and Queen Gertrude, are given confined and limited roles. These roles are from a male-dominated viewpoint and only add focus to the male characters instead of incorporating the insight and the impact of the women as well.

    Read More

  • Role of Women in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1159 Words  | 3 Pages

    Despite Ophelia’s weak will, the male characters respond dramatically to her actions, proving that women indeed have a large impact in Hamlet. Her obedience is actually her downfall, because it allows the male characters to control and use her in their schemes. Ophelia’s betrayal ends up putting Hamlet over the edge, motivating him in his quest for revenge. Ophelia is one of the two women in the play. As the daughter of Polonius, she only speaks in the company of several men, or directly to her brother or father. Since we never see her interactions with women, she suppresses her own thoughts in order to please her superiors. Yet however weak and dependent her character is on the surface, Ophelia is a cornerstone to the play’s progression. One way that her manipulation is key to Hamlet’s plot is when Polonius orders her “in plain terms, from this time forth/ Have you so slander any moment leisure/As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet,” (1.3.131-133). She complies with his wishes, agreeing to return any tokens of Hamlet’s love to him, verify t...

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Role of Women in Hamlet

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    For many years in the past women played a small role socially, economically, and politically. As a result of this many works in literature were reflective of this diminutive role of women. In Elizabethan theatres small boys dressed and played the roles of women. In contrast to this trend, in Shakespeare's Hamlet the women in the play are driving factors for the actions of many other characters. Both Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and Ophelia, Hamlet's love, affected many of the decisions and actions done by Hamlet.

    Read More

  • Women in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    Women in Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”. Throughout Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” women are used as a method for men to get what they want. The men in Hamlet, either directly or indirectly, continuously use women to acquire something from other men. The only two women in the entire play are Gertrude and Ophelia, who are consistently used by the current king, Claudius, Polonius, and Hamlet.

    Read More

More about Hamlet- The Role Of Women

Open Document