Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Shakespeare wrote the female roles in the Hamlet play as weak unstable women Shakespeare did write the female roles as if males were going to be playing them. There was limitations to his female roles in the play. The quote “Frailty, thy name is woman!” strongly represents and dignifies the women in the play Hamlet. Gertrude’s husband dies and she quickly remarries her deceased husbands brother. This shows the incapability Gertrude had to support and take care of herself. Hamlet said, “And yet, within a month (Let me not think on 't; frailty, thy name is woman!)” (1.2.141-150). Hamlet is distraught by his mothers marriages and promiscuous behavior. He believes that his mother is “frail,” including all the woman. This is showing the superiority Hamlet felt over the females he loves like Ophelia, or once did love. Ophelia’s father and brother want her to stay
Gertrude tells Hamlet “O, speak to me no more! These words like daggers enter in my ears.” (3.4. 200). Gertrude cannot stand the truth spoken by Hamlet. She knows what she did hurt her son. This is part of the reason why it is hard for her to respond. She is not able to stand up for herself and she is scared. Neither Gertrude nor Ophelia stands up to stands up to Hamlet’s “daggers” and just blame the Gods. They take the blame and at times are the victims. Hamlets craziness can only be controlled by the heavens in their eyes. “O heavenly powers restore him” is what Gertrude said to Hamlet (3.1.138-39). Little did Gertrude and Ophelia know that they were being used just for Hamlet to get back at Claudius. Gertrude and Ophelia may not be Shakespeare’s strongest play character, however; they play a significant role in Hamlet. The female roles are key characters in the plot of the rising and falling events in the play. Throughout the all the hardship the females face, they fight past it until the