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Comparing Gertrude And Ophelia

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Comparing Gertrude And Ophelia
Renaissance literarily meaning ‘rebirth’ in French, refers to a period after the Middle ages thus traditionally it is associated with the 14th to the 17th Century. The Renaissance was not only a period of history but a cultural movement similar to Modernism and Romanticism, only much earlier then the other two. Typically, the Renaissance was the rebirth of European culture after the depression and deterioration of the Dark Ages. The Renaissance was born in Italy but later expanded to the rest of Europe. The English Renaissance is believed to be somewhere between 1550-1660. Significantly the Renaissance lead to an efflorescence of arts, both literary and visual.

This periodization is significant to our understanding of Shakespeare, given
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This quote not only gives great insight to Hamlet’s sentiments regarding the marriage between his Mother and Claudius, but the Renaissance interpretation of women as well.In the play women are frail and submissive as well as obedient to the men around them. There are only two female characters throughout the play Gertrude and Ophelia both of whom are passive (this is more expected of Ophelia given that she is a minor personage) in the play’s escalating drama and somewhat marginalised.Hamlet generally regards his mother as ‘corrupt’ and ‘lustful’ given her relationship with Claudius.

Another iconic scene would be the ‘Nunnery Scene’ (Act 3 Scene 1). During a heated moment in the play Ophelia is told to go to nunnery by Hamlet after she returns his . “Get thee to a nunnery” Hamlet exclaims

Hamlet’s relationship to his mother Gertrude is a complicated one, since critics and scholars are quite divided on their stance.- has to marry Claudius- not necessarily lustful Ophelia can be seen as a kind of extreme, subversive double for Hamlet such as what he would be like if robbed of all power and
…show more content…
This quote not only gives great insight to Hamlet’s sentiments regarding the marriage between his Mother and Claudius, but the Renaissance interpretation of women as well.In the play women are frail and submissive as well as obedient to the men around them. There are only two female characters throughout the play Gertrude and Ophelia both of whom are passive (this is more expected of Ophelia given that she is a minor personage) in the play’s escalating drama and somewhat marginalised.Hamlet generally regards his mother as ‘corrupt’ and ‘lustful’ given her relationship with Claudius.
A fact highlighted in the play is that Ophelia seems to possess no will of her own and is instructed by Polonius and Laertes this relationship relates to patriarchy two men on how women should behave. Obviously there is a relationship between madness and Renaissance women.
Moreover, Ophelia is unstable in mentality which eventually leads to her tragic demise, ironically it is only after her death that Hamlet shows any explicit romantic affection towards her. She becomes ‘mad’ after her confrontation with

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