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Ophelia As A Feminist Role In Hamlet

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William Shakespeare’s Hamlet can be read as a feminist play given Ophelia’s experiences within the Danish society. Through Ophelia’s interactions with the men of the play, the audience can see that the male-dominated society brings inequality, distrust, and destruction. As Ophelia interacts with her brother, her father, and Hamlet, she is completely unable to assert her own independence, and her lack of personal autonomy eventually drives her to madness. These three men all deny Ophelia’s individuality and desire for self-control because they are accustomed to their male-dominated world. However, once Ophelia is driven to madness, she is regarded as an individual and finally has political and social power. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a feminist play located within a misogynistic culture that Ophelia struggles to escape. 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.
Furthermore, Laertes continues to micromanage Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship as he warns her to fear Hamlet’s actions. Laertes tells Ophelia, “Be wary then; best safety lies in fear” (1.3.42). Laertes’s repeated attempts to assert his control over his sister exposes his belief that Ophelia cannot and should not be trusted with complete power over her life. Although it can be assumed that Ophelia does not appreciate this lack of control, societal expectations have been inculcated into her everyday actions, and she is deeply aware of her social roles. As a result of this awareness, she promises Laertes that she will follow his advice: “I shall the effect of this good lesson keep as watchman to my heart” (1.3.44-45). In order to maintain peace within her society, Ophelia is forced to conform to societal expectations. However, as

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