Women In Hamlet
“Women may fall, when there’s no strength in men” –William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare conveys this message about women being inferior to men through all his plays. He says that men are women’s strength and are the reason for women’s survival. Shakespeare shows women to be obedient and weak, whereas, men to be strong and independent. Once again, Shakespeare continued this trend of showing women to be dominated and influenced figures in his play Hamlet. Hamlet was written in 160 set in Denmark during the Elizabethan era. A very significant part of the play Hamlet is gender roles where the men are powerful, dominant, and revengeful but, the women are fragile, manipulated, and simply weak. There are many examples throughout Hamlet in
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Whether it’d be Hamlet, Claudius or Polonius, all the male characters of the play dominate each other in one way or the other. For example, Claudius controls most of the characters in the play by manipulating them. Claudius tricks Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, and Ophelia into doing things he wants them to do. for instance, he tricks Gertrude into wooing him, Laertes into plotting against Hamlet, Ophelia and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern into spying on Hamlet. “Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern./…/ That opened lies within our remedy. /” (II.ii.1-18) This conversation between Claudius and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is a proof of Claudius’s manipulation and domination. He cleverly convinces them into helping him spy on Hamlet. He knows that they have been best friends with Prince Hamlet since childhood and they wouldn’t spy on their friend but, Claudius traps them so skilfully that they agree. He makes it seem like he cares for Hamlet’s well-being and if they help figure out the reason behind his mad behaviour it’ll be beneficial for Hamlet. Although, Claudius’s real intentions are totally opposite. He doesn’t care about Hamlet’s safety, he wants his throne safe. Claudius justifies being a man by wearing this manipulative nature. He enhances Shakespeare’s gender roles and shows that men hold the power to control anyone’s emotions. Someone who guiltlessly
Whether it’d be Hamlet, Claudius or Polonius, all the male characters of the play dominate each other in one way or the other. For example, Claudius controls most of the characters in the play by manipulating them. Claudius tricks Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, and Ophelia into doing things he wants them to do. for instance, he tricks Gertrude into wooing him, Laertes into plotting against Hamlet, Ophelia and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern into spying on Hamlet. “Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern./…/ That opened lies within our remedy. /” (II.ii.1-18) This conversation between Claudius and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is a proof of Claudius’s manipulation and domination. He cleverly convinces them into helping him spy on Hamlet. He knows that they have been best friends with Prince Hamlet since childhood and they wouldn’t spy on their friend but, Claudius traps them so skilfully that they agree. He makes it seem like he cares for Hamlet’s well-being and if they help figure out the reason behind his mad behaviour it’ll be beneficial for Hamlet. Although, Claudius’s real intentions are totally opposite. He doesn’t care about Hamlet’s safety, he wants his throne safe. Claudius justifies being a man by wearing this manipulative nature. He enhances Shakespeare’s gender roles and shows that men hold the power to control anyone’s emotions. Someone who guiltlessly