Hamlet play essay

Victimization of women

 In the play, ‘Hamlet' female characters live in a patriarchal society where their roles are restricted.  They are treated as subordinates and men control their lives.  Their economy and social rights are restricted and they have no power or autonomy.  At first, Gertrude thinks that entering into a new marriage will change his life but it seems like it is the beginning of troubles.  Men have a patriarchal power to control the lives of women.  All men losses respect when Claudius marries Gertrude and they believe that she thinks about sexual pleasures.  The society believes that she does not have concern over her son who is in distress state due to the death of his father.  Note that the decision of remarrying to the king is a rebellious act that is against the religious as well as the gender standards.  In many cases, Gertrude is defiant and her defiance behaviors in trying to capitalize her abilities ruin her life.  The society expects women to comply with social order but her rejection cause death.  In addition, the compliance with the social orders ruins the lives of women as seen in Ophelia.

Ophelia

            Victimization of women is a major theme in the play ‘Hamlet'.  Ophelia is a silent woman who comes from a royal family.  However, her family restricts her from fulfilling her self-interests and desires, and the family controls her life including attitudes and actions  (Wright, 41). Not that Ophelia lives in a patriarchal system where women are expected to respect men and comply with the social orders.  However, the compliance affects the women's lives in that they do not express themselves nor do their exercise their rights.    Note that in the patriarchy society,  men have power or the society is characterized by a male-dominated power.  Thus, women are biased and are victims of violence, abuse,  exploitation, harassment, and other crimes simply because they have less power (Wright, 41).   Men are in the dominant position in the political and economic arena and women have less control over their lives.

 Ophelia is a typical feminine in the patriarchal society and she is seen as physically and morally weak.  In Act 3, Scene 2, Ophelia says that ‘I think nothing, my lord".  When Hamlet is speaking to her, Ophelia has nothing to offer simply because her voice is suppressed.  She does not have anything to say in the presence of men. Life has no meaning but rather, he is a weak creature and a passive woman.  In Act 1, Scene 3, Laertes tells Ophelia that ‘Farewell, Ophelia, and remember well what I have said to you… In this scene,  she is under the male voice and she admits everything. She does not have the power to express her feelings and she allows the men to control her life.  Note that when Hamlet tells Ophelia that she wants to marry her,  she cannot make sound decisions about this idea of getting married but rather, her decisions are controlled by  Laertes and Polonius.  When Ophelia tells his father that Hamlet wants to marry her, Polonius says that ‘ Marry, I will teach you. Think yourself a baby (Act 1, Scene 3).  It is evident that men encircle Ophelia’s life and therefore she lacks self-expression affects her life in that she suffers from emotional conflict and later commits suicide.

 Gertrude

In the play ‘Hamlet' two women; Gertrude and Ophelia are manipulated and their negative treatment help detects the contradiction between the role of men and women in a patriarchal society.  King Hamlet has died and leaves behind his wife Queen Gertrude. After two months, Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius marries his mother Gertrude.  Later, a ghost reveals to Hamlet that Claudius killed the King Hamlet and this heights Hamlet's pain.  First,  Hamlet is distressed because his mother has remarried to the king's brother, and the ghost reveals that Claudius killed his father.  

The first evidence to show how women's rights are violated is when Gertrude asks Hamlet ‘what have I done, that thou darest wag thy tongue. In noise so rude against me… (Act 3, Scene 4).  Hamlet tells his mother that the act of remarrying to   Claudus  ( a murderer and a villain)  is associated with a lack of loyalty. Note that Gertrude has a different character in that she is not controlled by male power like Ophelia but she is a sensuous woman who acts against the norms of the patriarchal society.  Following the death of King Hamlet, the patriarchal norms expect Gertrude to take care of his son.  However, Gertrude follows her interest and prefers to get married (Act 3, Scene 4).  Even though she tries to comfort her son due to the loss of his father, the patriarchal society ignores her wish and believes that she does not consider her son.  Note that the society does not appreciate or recognize her words or suffering but rather,  they perceive her as wicked.

 The English culture has a dominant system that defines the political and social roles.  However, during the 16th century, there was a  radical change in that individuals were against the orthodox or the traditional rules and norms and supported heterodox ideas (Mullaney, 2).  Queen Elizabeth was a well-known figure whose image represented the demand for peace and protects the English throne.  However, during this period, women were not recognized and there were perceived as physically and mentally inferior (Mullaney, 2).  Elizabeth was a strong woman who showed that she had the power to protect the nation.  As a female figure, she faced misogyny.  However, Elizabeth maintained her political power and her gender did not hinder her from becoming a ruler (Levin, 57).  She went through many challenges and her character shows that women can thrive in a man's world.

 It is significant to compare both women (Gertrude and Elizabeth) to underhand the nature of justice and the power of women.  Gertrude is perceived as sexual women, she does not have the power to express herself.  All women in Hamlet's plays are seen as troubling figure and their lives are under male dominance.  The lesson from these women is that women are stereotypes but they should speak up and resist the abuse of power (Mullaney, 6). Women should express their feminism through actions and they should have full control over their life and let the people recognize their thoughts and interests.

 

Conclusion

 In society,  there are social orders that individuals must comply with. Failure to comply with orders results in disagreement, chaos, and conflict.  Conflict may not only occur because people fail to comply but it can also occur when some people hold a high amount of power. This means that society will have two classes; those with greater power, and those with little power.  In the play ‘Hamlet',  Ophelia accepts to be under the power of men and the compliance affects her life in that she is restricted to create her identity as a woman. On the other hand, Gertrude does not comply with the norms or in other words, she goes against gender-based expectations.  However, the life of both characters is destroyed in that their actions; Ophelia (compliance) and Gertrude (defiance) hinder them from enjoying their femininity.  

 

 

 

 

 Work cited

 KELLY J. MAYS. THE NORTON INTRODUCTION  TO LITERATURE. SHORTER 

TWELFTH  EDITION. UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS

 

Mullaney, Steven. "Mourning and Misogyny: Hamlet, The Revenger's Tragedy, and the Final

Progress of Elizabeth I, 1600-1607." Shakespeare Quarterly 45.2 (1994): 139-162.

 

Wright, Courtni C. The Women of Shakespeare's Plays: Analysis of the Role of the Women in

Selected Plays with Plot Synopses and Selected One Act Plays. Lanham u.a: Univ. Press

of America, 1993. Print.   39