Gertrude's Treatment Of Women In Hamlet

360 Words2 Pages

In Hamlet, written by Shakespeare, Hamlet treats women awful. His mother, Gertrude, convinces Hamlet that women are untrustworthy because she betrayed King Hamlet by marrying Claudius so soon after his death. Hamlets acts extremely rude towards Ophelia. Hamlet has issues with both Gertrude and Ophelia; thus, he does not treat them kindly. Hamlet disapproves of his mother’s marriage to Claudius. Hamlet speaks to himself about Gertrude: “By what it fed on, and yet, within a month - let me not think on’t. Frailty, thy name is woman! … O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer! - married my uncle, my father’s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules. Within a month, ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes, she married” (1.2.145-156). Gertrude only cares about her own desires, not her son’s. Therefore, Hamlet’s anger over his mother’s betrayal makes him not trust women. Hamlet loses …show more content…

While Hamlet argues with Ophelia, he proclaims, “Get thee to a nunnery… God has given you one face and you make yourselves another. You jig and amble, and your lips, you nickname God’s creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I’ll no more on’t. It hath made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages” (3.1.123-148). Gertrude’s actions make Hamlet fearful of Ophelia because of the potential for betrayal. Hamlet thinks all women are unfaithful because of the actions of his mother. Hamlet projects the anger he has for Gertrude onto Ophelia. Hamlet treats Ophelia in a disrespectful manner. Ultimately, Hamlet does not treat women very kind. Hamlet thinks all women are untrustworthy, selfish, and unfaithful. He disapproves of the marriage between his mother and his uncle by expressing rage toward her. Hamlet is afraid that Ophelia will betray him, so he distances himself away from her. Hamlet acts rude to both of the women in his