Gender Stereotypes In Hamlet

Throughout centuries men have been seen as the gender that have more rights than women. According to Diane Elizabeth Dreher’s 1986 book, Domination & Defiance: Fathers and Daughters in Shakespeare, she explains that a woman during renaissance England, “was to conform patiently and silently to the will of her father and, later, to that of her husband, accepting commands, correction, physical abuse, with sweetness and humility” (16). As a result of a renaissance society that promotes and even encourages this type of behavior, men believe that they have more power. When someone believes that they have more power than another person a pattern of disrespect, and in the most extreme cases, physical and emotional abuse are likely to follow. In Hamlet, Shakespeare contrasts two female leads of the play, Ophelia and Gertrude, through reduction to appearance, instrumentality, and silencing in order to show that during this time period, the objectification of women in the play was parallel to the objectification of women during renaissance England.

In the play Hamlet, women are often degraded; this is Shakespeare’s way of displaying the gender roles during the Elizabethan era. Ophelia is a naïve girl who is dominated and controlled by men, thus portraying Shakespeare’s views. Ophelia, like many women in Shakespeare’s plays, was expected to be a silent observer (Petrut 2) even when addressed with disrespect. Women’s opinions were often silenced due to their given roles during this time and lacked many social rights women have today. When Hamlet says to Ophelia, “Lady, shall I lie in your lap?” (Shakespeare, 3.2.107), he disrespects Ophelia in front of her father and his own mother by making sexual notions. Ophelia, simply and respectfully, replies with “No my lord” (Shakespeare, 3.2.108).

Ophelia’s interactions with the male characters of the play reveal her limited agency. As Ophelia tells her brother about her relationship with Hamlet, Laertes responds, “For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favor, hold it a fashion and a toy in blood, a violet in the youth of primy nature, forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, the perfume and suppliance of a minute, no more” (1.3.5-10). By instructing Ophelia on how to behave in her relationship with Hamlet, Laertes implies that he does not trust Ophelia’s judgement and she needs guidance with her personal affairs.

In today’s world, women of all ages are given equal rights and freedom. In Shakespeare’s time, woman’s obligations were to follow the rules of the men and obey the men in their lives’. “Frailty, thy name is woman;” Hamlet implies the powerlessness of the two women characters in the play. In Hamlet, the roles of Gertrude and Ophelia are very important in that they are the only two female characters in the play. Gertrude, the Queen of Denmark and mother of Hamlet, and Ophelia, the lover of Hamlet, are characterized as controlled and lost in their lives because they are being used by the men throughout the play. Fundamentally, Shakespeare illustrates the nature of Gertrude and Ophelia as powerless victims by the women being subjects of men,

Feminists want the world to know the many ways men and women are treated, but in reality are far apart from being completely equal. The critical lens of literature is a way for people to look at an idea in their own way. This creates discussion and opinions on what these ideas represent, as well as the meaning of the theories itself when implemented in literary pieces. The critical lens of the feminist theory shows how the idea of women having inequality when spoken about in social and political roles. Mainly this theory was made to counter the patriarchal views in history in order to get a point across and further put together the lens that can be looked through. In Hamlet by Shakespeare, the female characters of Gertrude and Ophelia are viewed through the lens to fit the standards of women being mistreated by the misogynistic values and plot points place throughout the story. While looking through the lens of the feminist theory it can be said that in Hamlet the stereotypes of women is shown through the events that occur in the play.

Similarly, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark women are also put in inferior roles. One example of this is Ophelia, and how her brother, Laertes, and father, Polonius, take many of the decisions in her life. Polonius often dictates her life by telling her what she cannot do. This occurs when Polonius decides he does not want his daughter near Hamlet, and orders Ophelia to stay away from him. Later in the play, Hamlet approaches Ophelia and she immediately reports to Polonius saying, “No, my good lord, but, as you did command, /

As a child born and raised in the age of tolerance I found myself confused by the blatant sexism so heavily featured in Hamlet. The modern woman being depicted as strong and self-sufficient I wondered how women could have been depicted as weak and submissive. Once my confusion cleared I realized that the depiction of women in Hamlet was one sided, controlled by the misogynistic males dominating the narrative. Gertrude and Ophelia, the only women featured in the play are only characterized by the male influence in their lives and lack full characterization. They are depicted as weak and considered supporting characters in a narrative that requires their involvement.

Throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia's tragic narrative unfolds as she grapples with the oppressive, misogynistic forces dictating her life. Like many women of the time, Ophelia has little awareness or control over her choices, symbolizing the devastating consequences of systematic oppression and dehumanization of women. Her lack of autonomy in her actions, especially in the presence of male characters like Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet, degrade Ophelia into a position of subservience and sexualization; as she navigates the burdens placed upon her, Ophelia becomes a puppet, trapped within the political fabrics of Denmark, ultimately leading to her demise. Ophelia has little autonomy over her voice, especially in the face of her father.

Ophelia is also inferior and powerless when it comes to her brother, Laertes. Just like her father, Laertes has all the control over Ophelia. When Ophelia recognizes an unusual difference in Hamlet, she turns toward her brother, to ask for his outlook on Hamlet's love. He responds by saying, "For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour,/ Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,/ [...] The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more," (1.3.6-10). His reply was more of a forceful command, rather than suggesting a response of her choice. "Simone de Beauvoir writes of agony for adolescent girls who must choose between self and “other”---between considering themselves primary or perceiving themselves as “other” in a patriarchal world where men and men’s values dominate” (Dash 128). Ophelia never had a mother figure to look up to, so she spends most of her time obeying the authoritative brother in her life. Shakespeare exaggerates this as Ophelia struggles to find herself while her brother destroys her privileges. She is a woman that is being forced to live in word that is dominated by men.

Throughout history, there is not one group that has more stringent cultural norms than women. In the Elizabethan Era, women were subservient to men in almost all aspects of life, both public and domestic.In the eyes of a man, a woman was a piece of property to be owned; a tangible piece of property that one had rights to. Such is the case with Ophelia in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Hamlet forces social constraints of typical womanhood onto Ophelia, which in turn exacerbates her madness. Due to this pervasive sexism, Ophelia and Hamlet’s death’s are views in sexist lights that make readers view Hamlet’s death one that was heroic, and Ophelia’s one of a damsel in distress.

At one point in time, Ophelia was one who Hamlet truly loved and trusted. Ophelia comes and speaks to hamlet to return his gifts from her but Hamlet immediately realizes that something is wrong and finds out that Ophelia is being used by Claudius and Polonius to spy on him to find out the real reason of Hamlet’s facade of madness. After realizing this, Hamlet is incensed and acts as if he is truly insane. Hamlet is clearly hurt because of the fact that Ophelia has been as a pawn in Claudius’ game. The effects of the matter cause him to verbally abuse Ophelia and rejects her love by saying that they will never get married and also degrades women. At this point Hamlet is raged and does not understand how harsh his words can be to a woman, especially a human being in general. In conclusion, the death of Hamlet’s father had looked like as if it has not even affected his mother which he so dearly loved and the one true love he thought he had, seems to him as deceiving and just a pawn for his enemies. These factors continue to diminish the subordinate attitude that Hamlet has towards

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."

In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the character Ophelia is very controversial due to the fact that Shakespeare places her as the focus inside the minds of all the men in her life such as Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet. Although Ophelia may appear to just be a beautiful, weak girl, she has the ability to gain power and attention over all of the men in her life. Throughout the play, Ophelia does not have much of a voice while also being mistreated and emotionally abused by her boyfriend Hamlet. Although Ophelia does not express her opinions and emotions publicly, she propels the plot along by influencing major events. Ophelia’s weak, indecisive, and obedient personality allows her to progress the plot by Shakespeare making her the focus of the men in

     The treatment of women in Hamlet is very troubling. The leading female characters, Queen Gertrude and Ophelia, are pawns or puppets for the men around them. Like chess pieces, they are moved about and influenced by the men they love with little say of their own; in fact, Shakespeare does not even develop their characters.

Male characters often treat female characters as if they are a piece of their property just like Polonius treats Ophelia, which is Hamlet’s love interest in the play. Polonius uses Ophelia to get information out of Hamlet. Ophelia never has a say in the decisions Polonius makes. To spy on Hamlet and to see if Hamlet truly loves Ophelia, Polonius and Claudius devise a plan. Polonius never asks Ophelia or gives her the option if she wants to spy on Hamlet. All Polonius comments to Claudius is “At such time I’ll lose my daughter to him,” which is Polonius saying to Claudius that he will send his daughter to get information out of Hamlet and it shows how Polonius treats Ophelia as his property just to seek information about Hamlet (II.ii.154). Along with Polonius and how Ophelia is treated as his property, Hamlet does not treat Ophelia any better. Hamlet treats Ophelia rudely and “treats her as an object” (Arteaga). Hamlet never can talk to Ophelia with respect or treat her more than an object. Ophelia went to Hamlet to give back the items Hamlet gave to her and as she puts her hands out Hamlet begins to say, “No, not I. I never gave you aught,” which is showing how Hamlet is objectifying Ophelia and