Chen
Summative Essay, Hamlet
ENG4U
17/07/2015
A Feminist Interpretation of Hamlet
For many years, women lived in a world where men dominated the society around them. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, no matter what position a woman is in whether she is the queen or the lover of the noble’s son, women are dependant by the men in their lives as they do as the men ask, because the men have higher power. Thus, because of the way Hamlet perceives his mother and the patriarchal society, as well as the way Shakespeare portrays the flaws of the characters in the play, Hamlet seems to perceive and treat women negatively as if they are sexually objectified, oppressed and degraded.
To begin, ever since Gertrude gave her hand in marriage to Claudius, Hamlet can only perceive her as a sexually objectified woman, because not only did she act out of lust, but she acted out of impulse as well. Gertrude does not know that her actions have consequences until Hamlet confronts her. In this case, Hamlet knows his mother’s sins as he says “such an act that blurs the grace and blush of modesty, calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose and sets a blister there, makes marriage vows as false as dicers oaths” (3.4.49-54). Because Gertrude betrayed herself in what she had always known and believed in, she has fallen into a trap where she is now treated and perceived as her sexual function. This is shown by, obeying the so called king and falls into his bed every night. Hamlet knows that his mother can do better. So Hamlet decides to give her advice as how she can at least more virtuous than she once did: “I bid you do: Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed, pinch wanton on your cheech, call you his mouse and let him for a pair of reechy kisses […]” (3.4.204-210). Shakespeare portrays her as a lust filled queen that, Hamlet has no choice but to accept as a sexually objectified woman who his uncle corrupted. As well, since Hamlet learned of his father’s murder and his mother’s marriage to the killer, Hamlet cannot trust love or women anymore, because through the actions of what his mother had done, he sees that women are easily seduced and corrupted. Because he does not want to corrupt Ophelia in such a way, he decides that the best way to protect her is to seperate, as if she were nothing to him, rather an object to satisfy his sexual desires. Thereafter he discards her; Hamlet perceives and treats Ophelia as her sexual function. For instance, when there are in the kingdom watching the play Hamlet sexually exploits her “Lady shall I lie in your lap? […] I mean, my head upon your lap? […] Do you think I meant country matters? […] That’s a fair thought to lie between maid’s legs,” (3.2.119-126). In this case, because Hamlet can longer be capable of loving Ophelia, treating her cruelly and joking with her sexually through exploitation, seems to be the only way for Hamlet to let out his anger. To the contrary, this only proves that as Hamlet continues with treating Ophelia like an object, she has no choice but to accept it as she has no power to disobey the men in her life. Hamlet should have mercy on her, but because of the higher status Hamlet claims and Ophelia is to be fair and obey the men in her life. Yet, Shakespeare portrays that Hamlet can no longer be held accountable for love and women, nothing can stop Hamlet from perceiving and treating her the way he does when the influence has gotten under his skin.
Furthermore, with Gertrude’s senseless, irrational attitude to making decisions in order to satisfy her sexual appetite, it is no wonder Hamlet oppresses her and is embarrassed by her. Likewise, ever since Gertrude gave her hand to Claudius in marriage, Hamlet continues to blame her for the problems that are occurring in the kingdom. For instance Hamlet says: “A deed as from the body of contraction plucks the very soul, and sweet religion makes a rhapsody of words!” (3.4.54-57) essentially saying that, she has done enough where everything from marriage to religion has been corrupted. Thus because of how Hamlet perceives his mother and treats her like the evil queen she is, Hamlet cannot help but oppress her, as she turned on her very son and never once apologized nor asked for forgiveness for marrying so soon after Hamlet’s father died. Yet even, for setting a terrible example of what unconditional love should look like. Anyhow, because Claudius has depraved Gertrude’s mind and she is to obey the king, as well as being portrayed as the so called royal queen that Shakespeare had made to be, Hamlet will continue to oppress her for the mistakes and problems that are occurring to him, especially with his relationship with Ophelia. In this case, Hamlet does not oppress Ophelia for the same reason he did with his mother, Gertrude. Rather he oppresses her, because he is solely concerned with his own motives and detestation towards Gertrude. Recurrently, since Hamlet’s mind has been depraved with his father’s death, Hamlet decided that the best way to shut Ophelia out is to oppress her by perceiving and treating her with utter disgust. This is in the manner of half insulting her, and speaking the truth that is on his mind. For instance Hamlet tells Ophelia to go to a nunnery, “Go thy ways to a nunnery.” (3.1.140) he maltreats her for who she really is. Particularly Ophelia is much tamer than his mother and is much more honest, therefore it hurts to see that he thinks she has become a sexually prised woman. Even Ophelia has a comment about that: “O woe is me t’have seen what I have seen, sees what I see.” (3.1.174-175) essentially emphasizing how Hamlet once was, is to be no more, thus leaving her the most miserable woman. In this case, because Gertrude has caused a fair bit to lead Hamlet into his madness, and Ophelia continues to adhere to the men in her life. Shakespeare portrays that Hamlet is mentally unstable, Hamlet has no choice but to perceive and treat is lover with oppression even though he will never mean in.
Finally, Although Gertrude is the queen and has a say in the throne, her status does not stop Hamlet from perceiving and treating her in a degrading manner. Hamlet has lost his self-respect for Gertrude, because not only did she sin and caused Hamlet to grieve, but she chose to obey the king that Hamlet despises very much. Gertrude is clueless, little does she know that Claudius is plotting Hamlet’s death, and little does she know what is really causing Hamlet’s madness. Thus, because Gertrude’s mind has been corrupted by Claudius, Hamlet knows he has lost the woman who originally raised him, as Hamlet said: “Twere good you let him know, for who that’s a queen, fair, sober, a gib, such dear concerning’s hide?” (3.4.210-213). In this case, Hamlet proves to Gertrude with his words that if she were “fair”, “sober”, and “ a gib”, she would not need to hide and loose herself in the mess she got herself into. Thereby saying because Gertrude lost her self-esteem and butchered her self-confidence, Hamlet would not be treating her like he knows her better when clearly he does. Though because Hamlet is a man and a mother should obey the men in her life and Shakespeare portrays her as a lost sinful woman, it is no wonder Hamlet has lost his respect for his own mother. Moreover, never once did Ophelia ever do any sinful deeds that led Hamlet to perceive and treat her in a degrading manner. Suggestively, she may not have the authority or the power to disobey, but for Hamlet to not have mercy on her rather to lose respect for her is impractical. If anything Ophelia has always kept her purity, but when Hamlet aggressively says to: “Get thee to a nunnery.” (3.1.131) not once, but three times. As he rudely insults her virginity, with no respect at all. In this case, Hamlet does know better and he is saying these words to her even though he does not mean it. However, there is no excuse for him neither to mock nor to degrade her for such a matter. Whether Hamlet is a afraid Ophelia will turn into his mother if he goes further with her, or whether he is the man Ophelia should obey, or whether Shakespeare portrays that Hamlet has no way out for his madness. Hamlet will continue to perceive and treat Ophelia like rubbish with no respect at all even when in his heart he still loves her.
Conclusively, women in the Shakespearean era are dependant and dominated by the men in their lives. In this case, because Gertrude and Ophelia depended on the men in their life, particularly by obeying them, letting them arrogantly push away their personal ideas and doing what they know as “men knows best”. It is sad to see that they were negatively perceived and treated as sexual objects, oppressed and degradedly treated women, all in dues of the actions of a mother, the patriarchal society and the way Shakespeare decided to portray the flaws in the characters.