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How Does Shakespeare Present Misogyny In Hamlet

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The Devastation of Misogyny in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Misogyny is a malevolent force that has existed throughout history. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet reflects this blind prejudice against women and its adverse effects. Ophelia’s life exemplifies the discrimination women face in the world of Hamlet, highlighting the dangers of such behavior. The play situates the audience in a world where patriarchal and misogynistic attitudes are unquestioned and deeply ingrained in culture and society. In the first act, Polonius is the primary perpetrator of misogynistic practices when he instructs Ophelia to end her relationship with Hamlet. He dismisses her feelings with condescension, trivializing her emotions: “Affection? Pooh! You speak like a green …show more content…

He makes decisions for her and maintains complete control over her life. Ophelia, due to her poor treatment and through the expectations of the culture and ideologies of Denmark at the time, adopts a servile attitude towards her father. This is clear in the exchange between them when Ophelia says, “So please you… my lord… I do not know, my lord, what should I think… I shall obey, my lord” (Hamlet 1.3.89-135). There is a complete dismissal of women’s autonomy, as is evidenced by Ophelia’s father’s expectations of absolute obedience from Ophelia. The misogyny, unfortunately, permeates further than familial relations and shapes the expectations for both men and women on the gender roles of the time. This universal misogyny also encourages Hamlet’s dismissal of Ophelia’s …show more content…

Her own emotions and intuitions are dismissed. She is blamed for situations out of her control and is expected to accept whatever is decided for her. The culmination of the misogynistic expectations and treatment leads to her emotional turmoil when Hamlet ultimately denies her affection. In her despair and madness, she sings, “He is dead and gone, lady, / He is dead and gone” (Hamlet 4.5.29-30), which signifies her broken spirit, shattered by a society that places no value on her. The play suggests that Ophelia takes her own life or does not struggle for life because of her

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It is far too often that women, in even the most modern of literature, are portrayed as nothing more than snivelling cowards, used merely to motivate the inevitably male heroes. Certainly, this is still the case in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which is inarguably a product of its time; sexism runs rampant, as Ophelia, the female lead, is told by Hamlet himself to “Get thee to a nunnery” (3.1.121), with not a batted eye nor consideration of why this would be wrong. In this day and age, such blatant disrespect for women would be greatly frowned upon by a modern and discerning audience, no doubt filled with cultured women who would take offence. Bonham-Carter’s Ophelia is far from the frail and tragically beautiful flower that she is often interpreted as; “ she's like a rag doll losing its stuffings” (Hinson).

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After Hamlet's dissolution with Ophelia, the main character carries a misogynistic personality towards all women in the play. QUOTE. In this quote, Hamlet accuses Ophelia (and the entire female population) of being a "breeder of sinners" and orders Ophelia to a "nunnery". Of course, this brash attitude stems from Gertrude's decision to remarry not even two months after the death of the King. Hamlet also believes that if Ophelia were to marry, she'd turn her husband into a "monster" (A "cuckold") because she would inevitably cheat on her spouse.

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Hamlet is affected by hegemonic masculinity in a patriarchal society, where he wants to “reinforce his superiority”, by “[devaluting] women” (Amaefula 2). This can be seen when Hamlet “tumbled” Ophelia and promised to “wed” after. However, not only did Hamlet break his promise after taking Ophelia’s virginity, Hamlet gaslights Ophelia, telling her he would have married her if “thou hadst not come” to his bed (4.5 l.62). Hamlet lies to Ophelia and even blames her for trusting him. The toxic masculinity from Hamlet’s surroundings causes Hamlet to assert his dominance by using Ophelia and throwing her away like an useless object, going as far as manipulating her and saying it's her fault for listening to him.

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Why is Hamlet hostile towards the women in this play? Hamlet reflects the subordination of women in Elizabethan England, where women had virtually no rights and were subject to misogyny. This is especially evident in the way Hamlet degrades both women in this play. For instance, When Ophelia tells her father that Hamlet sends her love letters, the audience, along with Polonius, is made to believe that Hamlet must be in love with Ophelia. However, throughout the play, Hamlet dismisses Ophelia in disgust, telling her to "get...

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The classic writing of Hamlet has been analyzed through different lenses and approaches and it has allowed us to analyze the different narratives of the story. There are different lenses that enhance our knowledge about the context displayed in the story. One critical lens that provides a particularly illuminating perspective on this play is the feminist lens. The feminist approach would allow us to understand the narrative through the mindset of the women and how they were treated in the story. The characters of Ophelia and Gertrude were dismissed in the story as they were considered as “frailty” which means that women are weak and interdependent.

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Justine Leleng Mrs. Wojciechowicz English 12 March 29, 2023 Viewing Hamlet through a Feminism Lens Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a timeless tale known for its revenge, betrayal, and tragedy. While the play is known for its character, Hamlet, viewing the story through a feminist lens offers us a fresh perspective on the story. Hamlet's actions and behavior throughout the play directly contribute to the tragic demise of his mother Gertrude and his lover Ophelia, showing us the destructive consequences of unresolved emotional trauma and the dangerous effects of toxic masculinity on relationships. Toxic masculinity is a recurring theme in Shakespeare's Hamlet, as male characters often treat women with condescension and control. An example of this masculine

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Hamlet’s views on women is adulterous which pertains to the misogynistic tendencies in the play; thus, Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, sparks up his misogynistic approaches. Hamlet is repulsed with Gertrude since she was quick to re-wed immediately following Old Hamlet’s death and cries: “She married. O, most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (1.2.156-157). Hamlet is shocked that his mother remarries to Claudius, Old Hamlet’s brother, before letting the tears on her cheek to dry.

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Her sense of worth comes from trying to please men. Hamlet breaks her heart, ending their relationship, and kills the most important man in her life, her father, effectively taking away her

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Every modern society since the beginning of time has painted the female as frail and individuals at the mercy of men, unable to reap the same freedoms and aspirations as their male counterparts. The English Renaissance is no different as women were not allowed to play themselves on stage, and more often than not were seen as weak characters in their portrayal. In Shakespeare's “Hamlet”, all the female protagonists all have flaws that eventually leads to them meeting their deaths. The characters of Ophelia and Gertrude are two different women trapped in the same predicament, partly being due to the inefficacy of being taken seriously, and are therefore perceived as feeble women; looking at the persona of Ophelia, she tends to follow the direction

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Feminism has gained a new definition a new understanding of female roles since the Elizabethan Era. Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare, is about a young prince, Hamlet, being visited by his father’s apparition urging him to avenge his death by murdering Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. All the while, Hamlet is enraged by his mother’s hasty marriage to Claudius and is showering his supposed love, Ophelia, with gifts and words of affection. Queen Gertrude and Ophelia are blindly obedient to male authority due to the influence of the social standards that require women to be submissive to men. Queen Gertrude and Ophelia’s actions and outcomes as characters are affected by male influence, the social norms of this time, and the females’ consequences of following these norms.

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This provokes him to say that god gives women one face, but they use make up to paint on another one. This quote suggest that Hamlet sees woman as naive and gullible creatures, as he sees Ophelia as nothing but an object that is owned by her father, as she is helping him with all of his dirty work. Hamlet believes that woman cannot be trusted as they have are deceiving. He also sees Ophelia as a grown women who is unable to make her own decisions. Hamlet is utterly disgusted by how feeble Ophelia is as she was following her father's scheme.

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His beliefs shape the audience’s perceptions of women throughout the play. Hamlet’s attitude towards Gertrude and Ophelia reflects the prevailing misogynistic values of the time period, stereotyping women as weak and helpless, and condemning them for having opinions.

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Hamlet shows his true feelings towards women. Must like a whore unpack my heart with words and fall a-cursing like a very drab,/a scullion. (2.2. 574-576) He believes that all women are unfaithful to their significant other. Hamlet feels as if all women are weak and fragile comparing them to frailty.

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He did not innately hate all women, but slowly as he reserved rejection after rejection he snapped. Hamlet’s relationships differed between Gertrude and Ophelia, but both had the same goal of Hamlet having someone to love and care about him. With the goal of compassion being accomplished, he spiralled in a growing hatred of the female population. Hamlet’s misogyny is not the result sexual repression , but rather his environment and the interactions with women. Ernest Jones argues that Hamlet’s misogyny stems from the sexual repression of Gertrude and Ophelia.

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