Critical Essay on Role of Women in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Introduction

From just the skimming of this romantic tragedy, the role of women, character-wise, is significantly sidelined, while the men take over every act, scene, and conversation. Coming from a time when women were only considered substituents rather than complements, William Shakespeare went a step ahead to involve Gertrude and Ophelia in his play, as at such times of existence, even the roles women were supposed to take, you know because they are women, were made by boys and men. The society applauded the men, in a way that even when a woman could take up the same role, she could not receive the same motivation as the men did. It is therefore not a surprise to see a son, Hamlet, refer to his mother, and also the queen as "frailty." It mattered not that a woman was holding a higher position, by default (the husband made her have that position) but as much as they bore the name woman, they were subject to commands, mistreatment and being looked down upon.

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"Frailty, thy name is woman. A little month or ere those shoes were old. With which she follow'd my poor father's body... (act I scene II line 146-148) " From the ancient and complex linguistics, a maneuver around this phrase reveals the nature of women regarded as fragile, weak or delicate. Looking up the word 'frailty' reveals synonyms like infirmity, vulnerability, and incapacity, susceptibility, among many other words that overemphasize on the meek nature of women, their incapacity to think and make decisions on their own, and their dependency on male authority. Hamlet had come back from England to attend to his fathers (the king) burial, but ironically, the seeming function he was attending to was the royal wedding of his mother, and his uncle, the late king's brother, Claudius. Within the slim one month after his death, his mother, a queen who could stand up for herself if she wanted to, had jumped from the shoes she wore while with the king, into this new and quite frankly, "incest affair." Gertrude, the queen, exhibits frailty by assuming instability immediately after the king dies and seeks emotional and physical support from his brother, and formerly her brother-in-law. It would be assumed that after spending time besides the king, she would be in a capacity to run things, not only in her home, but the kingdom as well, but even with her social status, her heart still conforms to inferiority. This so-called matrimonial union did not wash well with Hamlet, as he considered Claudius "A little more than kin, and less than kind (act I scene II line 65)." Although he unsatisfactorily admits that they are kin, judging by his use of 'little,' he clearly states that they are not at all similar, character wise.

Women were considered significant, relevant or influential regarding the men they tagged along, but not who they were, to begin with. As clear as it is to the readers that the infidelity was the issue, upon critical scrutiny of hamlets soliloquy, it is as if it was all about the kind of a man his mother moved on with. He refers to Claudius as a "Hyperion to a satyr (act I scene II line 140)." It seems like he would be okay if the man in that position would be better than he is, or his father was. Gertrude's decision making and judgment were therefore at frail as she couldn't select the strongest man for her, and for the kingdom as well. It was a form of disloyalty and disrespect to the late king, as Hamlet compares Claudius to him saying "My father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules (act I scene II line 151-153)" it was a steep deceleration down the moral and social compass. However, despite this despise, Hamlet did not lose his respect to his mother, and not because she is queen. "But break my heart; for I must hold my tongue (act I scene II line 159)." All these thoughts go on in his mind, but he doesn't have the audacity to confront her, with the harsh and spiteful; words, and tell her of her errors. Women, even though inferior in the society's eyes, were treasures in the hearts of their children and even husbands.

Ophelia, the other woman in this act, possesses obedience or rather submission and dependency in the men in her life, among them her father Polonius, her brother Laertes and hamlet, her boyfriend, or at least she believed he was. In the Elizabethan times, women were expected to be pure, innocent and submissive. When Laertes is leaving for France, he offers his dear sister advice against losing her dignity and chastity to Hamlet, Ophelia replies 'Tis in my memory lock'd, and you yourself shall keep the key of it (act I scene III line 89-90)." In a way, she had given up her autonomy and free will when she presented her brother the key for her mind, not literary. The submission was everything, as the men held the keys to the minds, hearts, and spirits. She even goes against her heart, and feelings for Hamlet, and sides with her father in spying on Hamlet to find out if he was insane or it was an act. There is also the aspect of impulsive decision making by the two women. First with Gertrude jumping into another marriage as soon as the king passed away, and now Ophelia who built up an entire relationship from a "He took me by the wrist...and, with his other hand thus o'er his brow, He falls to such perusal of my face (act II scene I line 97-99)." Later or in the act, hamlet denied ever loving her, "I loved you not," or giving her the gifts she was taking back.

From the betrayal Ophelia committed to her self-alleged boyfriend, women are viewed as the genesis of problems. Although it might not be painted in black and white, it is quite evident that Gertrude was one of the reasons that made Claudius kill his brother, to have her all by himself. Also, from the advice of hamlet to Ophelia, "Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them(act III sceneI line 148-149)." one part of it would be that when in the nunnery, Ophelia would not be able to bear nay children and therefore reduce the level of injustice and sin in the world. Secondly, women are seen as deceitful beings, as the poor men cannot tell their actual faces, while the wise are aware of the extent to which women ruin them. The burial of Ophelia brought together Laertes and hamlet, made them brush shoulders and they both ended up dead after the fight they agreed to.

Conclusion

However, as frail as the character of women are, the one noble thing they did was to sacrifice for the people they loved most. Ophelia committed suicide after learning of the death of her father, while Gertrude drank from the poisoned goblet meant for her son, Hamlet. They both die at the hands of the men they treasured, or because of them, but the nobility is awarded. As a tradition, suicidal deaths never received decent burial, but Ophelia did. Gertrude on the other hand, after literary taking the cup of her son's death, was awarded a proper and royal solder burial.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Hamlet, prince of Denmark. 1601. Pp.1- 238