Discover the powerful stories of individuals battling societal expectations in Hamlet, Poet X, and My Last Duchess as they struggle to break free from the socially imposed roles and destinies that threaten to define them. The theme of socially imposed roles and destinies is a recurring one in literature, and it is explored in depth in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Elizabeth Acevedo's Poet X, and Robert Browning's My Last Duchess. These works explore the human struggle to break free from the constraints imposed by societal expectations and the pressure to fit into specific roles. Characters in these works must choose between conforming to societal expectations and following their own desires and passions. William Shakespeare's …show more content…
He is expected to avenge his father's murder, but he is also struggling with his own moral reservations about acting. He is torn between his responsibilities as a prince and his personal beliefs. This is evident in the aforementioned soliloquy, in which Hamlet questions the nature of existence and whether it is nobler to act or suffer in silence. This soliloquy is a powerful depiction of Hamlet's internal struggle to reconcile his own beliefs with societal expectations. Furthermore, Hamlet's feigned insanity reflects his struggle to escape from a socially imposed role. He conceals his true intentions and avoids suspicion by feigning insanity. He also uses it to express his own thoughts and feelings without regard for societal expectations. Hamlet's feigned insanity reflects how societal expectations can constrain our behaviour and how individuals struggle to break free from these roles. Furthermore, Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia is significant in the play because it demonstrates how societal expectations affect different genders differently. Ophelia is expected to be obedient and submissive, whereas Hamlet is expected to take action and avenge his father's murder. This contrast demonstrates how societal expectations can limit and restrict one gender's potential over another. Finally, William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a powerful exploration of the human struggle to escape from a …show more content…
He tells the Count of Tyrol's servant that the Duchess had too many smiles and was too generous with them. He eventually killed her and is now looking for a new wife. The Duke's obsession with control and possession reflects his own insecurities and flaws, as well as societal expectations that he should have complete control over his wife. Furthermore, the Duke's possessiveness is reflected in the way he speaks about the Duchess's painting, he says. "Will't please you sit and look at her? I said / 'Frà Pandolf' by design, for never read / Strangers like you that pictured countenance, / The depth and passion of its earnest glance."(lines 44-47). The Duke is proud of the painting, which he sees as a symbol of his control over the Duchess. He displays the painting to the servant as a symbol of his power and control, reflecting how societal expectations have led him to believe that he should have complete control over his wife even after her death.The use of the word "last" in the poem's title implies that the Duke has had multiple wives and that this is a recurring pattern of his behaviour. This demonstrates that the Duke's desire for power and possession is not limited to one woman, but is a pattern in his behaviour. Unease and foreboding are created by the painting of the Duchess, which is a visual representation of the