Laura's Essay. But then, the author is a man writing in a male-dominated culture, and the dialogue represents his point of view, not necessarily that of a cultured woman who might feel differently about such humor. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/hamlet-a-feminist-argument-740000. "Hamlet: A Feminist Argument." Whatever makes a woman a whore in the Hamlets' valuation, is her sexual use by several men. She has the prospective to become a tragic heroine and overwhelm the adversities perpetrated upon her. He is totally convinced that all women are whores. What she has done, through a close reading of a character that is now famous, is focus the attention of both groups on a piece of common ground. Her character traits include being simple, and she has unselfish affection towards people. Both women ended up dying for the men that "loved" them. However, the major feminist complaint of the canon is supported by this work: that it is "generally not from the point of view of a woman" and that women's voices are virtually "ignored," to quote Brenda Cantar. and receive 10% from every order, +1 (888) 676-5101 This is coupled with a comprehensive and steadfast allegiance. Topics: Hamlet, Marriage, Characters in Hamlet Pages: 4 (1445 words) Published: March 20, 2013. Feminism was a largely debated issue in the context of eighteenth century literature specific to many … Feminism in the most general of terms is known as the principle advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Feminist criticism and gender studies: Feminist and gender-study approaches to Shakespeare criticism made significant gains after 1980. Being a feminist just wasn't a thing in England 400 years ago: the word "feminism" didn't exist until the 1890s, and gender equality wasn't exactly a hot button topic. In a sense, the queen is denied a voice in her own defense or representation. Hamlet, as the plot progresses, eventually accidentally kills Polonius, leaving Ophelia with no close family and influences left. Hamlet by William Shakespeare outlines a clear cutline of how customs and societal issues affect females in the society. But at the same time, feminism offered a new perspective on Ophelia's madness as protest and rebellion. Feminism in Hamlet . For many feminist theorists, the madwoman was a heroine who rebels against gender stereotypes and the social order, at enormous cost. Women have been portrayed in the play as being betrayers of their husbands. To explore some of these issues, we will examine Shakespeare's "Hamlet," one of the most famous and widely read works of the Western canon. She chooses to remain dormant to matters of public thus; devotes her days involved in some trivial activities. On the other side of the coin, these critics of the canon argue that Bloom and his sympathizers are "racists and sexists," that they are excluding the under-represented, and that they "oppose...adventure and new interpretations.". For this reason, critic Jacqueline Rose writes that Gertrude is the symbolic "scapegoat of the play." Several and similar stories happen to people in their daily lives which interfere with family relationships and breed hatred among people. In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, many controversies arose from the text, one of which was feminism. The female characters in Hamlet provide an invaluable key to our contemporary experience. Recent site activity . FEMINISM / HAMLET / "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE" SOLILOQUY. A perceptive notion by some ancient ethnic Feminists declares that; female psyches are a structure of ethnic forces, such as class differences, tribal, general differences as well as chronological differences. For instance: The sexual innuendo in Hamlet's dialogue with Ophelia would have been transparent (and apparently acceptable) to a Renaissance audience. Be very precise about place, time, and people. According to feminist scholars, the canonical texts of Western literature represent the voices of those who have been given the power to speak in Western culture. This complaint has led to much debate between critics and defenders of the canon. The most radical application of these ideas on stage may have been Melissa Murray's agitprop play Ophelia (1979). She is evidently a woman of exuberant sexuality, who inspired luxurious passion first in King Hamlet and later in King Claudius." Polonius who happened to be the father loved her immeasurably along with her sibling Laertes, and took abundant pains to shelter her. Ophelia coheres to the reminiscence of Hamlet giving him the respect plus sensitivity. Henderson, Steve. This depiction is reminiscent of many of the women in Shakespearean drama and comedy. Ophelia was still a kid when she lost her mommy, when she was   born. The patriarchal community of the Western culture had sturdy negative effects for the liberty of women and their   expression. Ophelia's distinct tenacity is to show at once Hamlet's distorted opinion of women as ruthless sexual pillagers, the transparency and the virtue of women. Gertrude and Ophelia are a clear representation of how men exact pressure and dictatorship over women. To connect this to Bloom's point, the male regard for the female was inextricably connected to the female body. Feminism in the most general of terms is known as the principle advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. Both of these women seem more like props than characters. This turns out like a gaudy kind of anecdote for an honorable prince to discuss with a young woman of the court; though, Hamlet is not discreet to talk about the subject. They are the second in order from the husband thus; they ensure that family matters are well catered for. The idea gives them some added advantage in the work place and other institutions. Essay on feminism in hamlet Hamlet is devastated by his father’s death and even more so by his mother’s quick remarriage. Meanwhile, one may suggest for the future that the "New Feminist" movement continues searching for worthy female writers and promoting their works on aesthetic grounds, adding them to the Western canon as they deserve. The character traits of Ophelia show how women in the society are used by callous men, to get what they want. But, to adapt two quotes by ​Margaret Atwood, "the proper path" in accomplishing this is for women "to become better [writers]" in order to add "social validity" to their views; and "female critics have to be willing to give writing by men the same kind of serious attention they themselves want from men for women's writing." With the character Jocasta, Sophocles creates a female version of … He could concede this without giving an inch in his defense of aestheticism. Feminism in Hamlet “Frailty, thy name is women”; Mother, thy name is greatness ?? Feminism in Hamlet “Frailty, thy name is women”; Mother, thy name is greatness Loyalty or betrayal, nobody can definitely point out what the truth is; but something that seems like the truth may not always be correct. For instance, through Ophelia we witness Hamlet’s evolution and devolution. Moreover, the most dreaded disrupter of the social order from females is when a woman becomes unfaithful to the husband. Hamlet is a play by William Shakespeare, a first work of literature that an ordinary person in life looking at life in the broader perspective. This makes them considered the delicate gender by their male counterparts. Feminism was a largely debated issue in the context of eighteenth century literature specific to many … “Feminist Criticism and Its Integration in Hamlet” In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, many controversies arose from the text, one of which was feminism. Laura's Essay. In the view of author Elaine Showalter, she is portrayed in the play as "an insignificant minor character" created mainly as an instrument to better represent Hamlet. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Sexual Objectification of Female 'Hamlet' Characters. Hamlet is enraged by the 'nunnery' interval that Ophelia considers some logic of love and duty for other men prior to her degree of love and adoration to her new husband above her sense of love and duty for her old man. The portrayal of Shakespeare's female characters and … Feminism in 'Hamlet' For Bloom, the greatest of the canonical authors is Shakespeare, and one of the works Bloom most celebrates in the Western canon is "Hamlet." In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the female characters downfall to promote support for gender equality by using their downfall from their obedience, dependence on men and mistreatment by the male characters. This play, of course, has been celebrated by all kinds of critics through the ages. Abbey's Essay. Gertrude betrays her husband by living with his evil brother and ends up curtailing Hamlet’s freedom to practice his masculine role as the son of the late king. They act either as a theatrical balance to the male characters or as a sounding board for their fine speeches and actions. This is because Ophelia is not as significant as her portrayal of the nature of the two women in the play. His contention is that these critics are striving, for their own peculiar reasons, to invade the world of academia and replace the traditional, largely canonical programs of the past with a new curriculum—in Bloom's words, a "politicized curriculum.". Surely a scholar like Bloom recognizes that there is "a need...to study the institutional practices and social arrangements that have both invented and sustained the literary canon." She reciprocates the love a great deal   and takes precautions not to disappoint them. Loyalty or betrayal, nobody can definitely point out what the truth is; but Nevertheless, she crumbles into ludicrousness consequently; becoming virtuously catastrophic. We will write a custom essay on Feminism Ophelia Hamlet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page. An eloquent and scholarly interpretation of many of Shakespeare's women would surely be welcome. 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. This is why Hamlet ends up with a negative point of view concerning women including his mother Gertrude. In Cantar's words, Showalter's analysis is part of a "concerted effort to alter cultural perceptions of gender, those represented in the canon of great literary works.". The female body was part of man’s ‘property’, and that its sexual obligation could be a vulnerable theme of discussion. Feminism plays a big role in Hamlet and Oedipus the King. However, her love for Hamlet is sturdy that she obeys her father when he in instructs her to seize visiting Hamlet or receiving letters from him. Hamlet's sexual ambiguity in his discourse with Ophelia would have been apparent to a rebirth audience, and ostensibly conventional. Feminist critics are concerned with the presentation of women in Shakespearean (Hamlet) time • In the Shakespearean time, women were classified by their sexuality. Women are also accountable for causing a dynamic change to men in diverse, contemporary society. Assuming that both the audience and the reader are familiar with Shakespeare's text, I have centred my project around an adaptation and performance of Hamlet called 'I, Hamlet'. Likewise, "the object Ophelia" (the object of Hamlet's desire) is also denied a voice. “Feminist Criticism and Its Integration in Hamlet” In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, many controversies arose from the text, one of which was feminism. Many of Shakespeare's plays make this very clear, including "Hamlet.". Lauren's Essay. To Polonius, the chief counselor to the king, the greatest threat to the social order is cuckoldry—the unfaithfulness of a woman to her husband. This imbalance must be remedied by the inclusion of women writers themselves, for they can most accurately represent their own views. Hamlet: A Feminist Argument. He also spells out who, in his view, the canon's critics and enemies are. ThoughtCo. Some go to a degree of abusing them, since they have put women under pressure of obeying without questioning. In the plays Hamlet and Oedipus the King, gender roles are revealed through symbolism, imagery, and theme to reveal the social norms of the time. The play is believed to have been written between the years 1599- 1601. There are only two female characters seen in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. In his play Hamlet, many issues as well as controversies arise from the text, and one of them is feminism. Feminism in 'Hamlet' For Bloom, the greatest of the canonical authors is Shakespeare, and one of the works Bloom most celebrates in the Western canon is "Hamlet." And Hamlet labels Polonius a "fishmonger" though Polonius does not untangle the connotation of Hamlet's quotations. This play, of course, has been celebrated by all kinds of critics through the ages. Home; Sitemap; Navigation. This is a culture that is getting extinct in the contemporary society. In this quote, also at the play, Hamlet is basically destroying any hope that Ophelia had about their potential love, saying that his love to her was but a short affair, nothing more Hamlet's view of Ophelia as Sexual Object Stanke 4 Allison Stanke Ms. Johnson AP Literature and Composition 5 December, 2018 Traditional Masculinity and Feminism in Hamlet In Hamlet, the playwright William Shakespeare illuminated the conflict between female sexual freedom and traditional masculinity by emphasising contradictory standards set upon women by men. 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. It also reflects how an individual is faced with tough questions but comes up with honest … Though it may be viewed as a complaint, Showalter's insight about the representation of men and women in "Hamlet" is actually something of a resolution between the critics and defenders of the canon. For many decades, women have undergone public dismay in the presence of men. Feminism was a largely debated issue in the context of eighteenth century literature specific to many … Approaches to Literature: Feminism in Hamlet The female characters in Hamlet provide an invaluable key to our contemporary experience. If we create a group specifically to better the interest of a group in particular are we not as a result dividing them ourselves? cont, Ophelia: I do not know, my lord, what I should think. One of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the canon is Harold Bloom, author of the bestseller "The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages." However, it is not considered a bid deal when men become unfaithful, an issue that has left many women to suffer in silence. Whether or not the idea of feminism itself threatens the equality of men and women on its own. Shirley Chisholm: First Black Woman to Run For President, 6 Quotes from ‘Female Liberation as the Basis for Social Revolution’, 'The Taming of the Shrew': A Feminist Reading, A Study Guide for William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet,' Act 3, 'Hamlet' Characters: Descriptions and Analysis, 7 Types of Female Characters in Shakespeare's Plays. Gender discrimination is strong in the plays, and the author reveals that theme with the use of symbolism in both plays. The focus of his complaint of excessive criticism is that—among literary teachers, critics, analysts, reviewers, and authors alike—there has been an increasingly noticeable "flight from the aesthetic" brought on by an unfortunate attempt "to assuage displaced guilt." I'm doing a seminar on Feminism within Hamlet, I'm about to start reading all the parts where Gertrude and Ophelia are in the scene, but does anyone know any starters e.g, basic ideas about feminism within the play, I've googled but it only brings up pay-to-view essays, which aren't much help atm. In this book, Bloom lists the texts that he believes constitute the canon (from Homer to present-day works) and argues for their safeguarding. Often he portrays women as weak, mad, sexual, and as even witches. However, for women to become whores they must have their procurers the reason why Gertrude has been turned into a whore by his father Claudius whereas Ophelia becomes one due to his father's influence. ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/hamlet-a-feminist-argument-740000. Hamlet is absent in the room, but it is obvious that he has eavesdropped as Polonius tries to use his daughter's charms to ensemble his sneaky purposes. Since men were assumed to be dominant over women, the female body was considered the man's "property," and its sexual objectification was an open topic of conversation. Hamlet feels betrayed by Gertrude to a higher magnitude than he could imagine. If this is the best that Bloom can offer in suggesting the substance of Gertrude's character, it would serve us well to examine further some of the feminist complaints regarding the female voice (or lack thereof) in Shakespeare: Cantar points out that "both the male and female psyches are a construction of cultural forces, such as class differences, racial and national differences, historical differences." This is an apparent reason why the character has been displayed in the deceitful manner in the play. This play, of course, has been celebrated by all kinds of critics through the ages. In the end, this is the finest way to restore the balance and allow all of us to appreciate the literary voices of humankind, not just mankind. (2020, August 26). The only women in the play, Ophelia and Queen Gertrude, are given confined and limited roles. The patriarchal society of the Western world had powerfully negative implications for the freedom of women to express themselves, and in turn, the psyche of the woman was almost entirely subsumed (artistically, socially, linguistically, and legally) by the cultural psyche of the man. Referring to a double meaning of "nothing," Hamlet says to her: "That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs" (Act 3, Scene 2). Hamlet views women as individuals who look pure to the eyes of the public, but their hearts are dark with corruption and desire for sex. Annotated Bibliography. Even in the 21st century we still have very similar ideals of what a women should be. There is surely an extreme imbalance between the male and female voices represented in the Western canon, and the sorry gender discrepancies in "Hamlet" are an unfortunate example of this. Hamlet detests his mother as well as Ophelia who, according to his considerations, disguise their natural traits under the cloud of excellence. Hamlet is no exception. Perhaps it begs for the efforts of interpretation that, by Showalter's account, so many have tried to make of Ophelia's character. Many of the Shakespearean plays make the point clear, including the play Hamlet. Is Shakespeare's negative portrayal of women and Gertrude in Hamlet reflective of the Elizabethan time period? Desolately, the male regard for the females was perpetually linked to the female physique which was tolerable since, supremacy over women was the implicit hypothesis of men. She is unable to defend herself nevertheless she has stupid that are evident in her deep suffering. Hamlet: "As woman's love." Hamlet refers to a double meaning of nothing when he says to Ophelia, "That's a fair decree lies amid a maids' legs" . Feminism in Hamlet . • Feminist critics tend to defend Gertrude and Ophelia and to try to explain why the female characters seem less developed than the male characters. Feminism in Hamlet “Frailty, thy name is women”; Mother, thy name is greatness ?? Hamlet is a play by William Shakespeare, a first work of literature that an ordinary person in life looking at life in the broader perspective. In this dissertation I have endeavoured through words and figures to 'map' my performance of Hamlet from a feminist perspective. It also reflects how an individual is faced with tough questions but comes up with honest semi-answers. But refusing to acknowledge the need for a group to be divided is where the debate begins. Ophelia doesn’t seem snubbed upon hearing it since it reflects how a cultured woman would think or feel about such humor made by men (Strickland, 2007). Home. The most prominent feminist critics (including Showalter and Garber) already recognize the canon's aesthetic greatness, regardless of the male dominance of the past. Feminists, like New Historicists, were interested in contextualizing Shakespeare’s writings rather than subjecting them to ahistorical formalist analysis. And what more influential cultural force could there have been in Shakespeare's time than that of patriarchy? The choices made by both ladies can be read as furthermore sexually obstinate in being. For Bloom, the greatest of the canonical authors is Shakespeare, and one of the works Bloom most celebrates in the Western canon is "Hamlet." Women are the pivotal place in the contemporary society. One of the focal female characters in the play is Ophelia. Feminism in Hamlet? She is dependent on men and continues to do whatever they tell her. Feminism has gained a new definition a new understanding of female roles since the Elizabethan Era. This makes men rule over their world and take control of everything. Feminism in the most general of terms is known as the principle advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. Search this site. "Hamlet: A Feminist Argument." Like Gertrude, young Ophelia is naive as well as inexperienced, though; Ophelia has excellent motive to rug behind on the punitive realities of life and can’t be compared to Gertrude. +1 (888) 305-4588, Approaches to Literature: Feminism in Hamlet, Essay Topics for Hamlet: Fresh Ideas for Students, The Role of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Who Is the Monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Written in an unorthodox style and laced with personal letters to familial models of gender, this article hopes to rectify the lack of scholarship about “the harmful results of society’s gender pressure on the male characters in Hamlet” (255). However, the major feminist complaint of the canon is supported by this work: that it is "generally not from the point of view of a woman" and that women's … Polonius makes arrangements to use the glamorous Ophelia to ascertain why Hamlet is behaving so inquisitively . ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Hamlet is aware that   Polonius influences her daughter to practice prostitution. Henderson, Steve. To the rest of the audience, Ophelia signifies a very different thing to those who are not blinded by fury since; she is the archetype of blimey. Ophelia agrees to take Laertes’s advice. Be very precise about place, time, and people. Bloom groups these opponents, including feminist scholars who wish to revise the canon, into one "School of Resentment." Polonius considers the behavior of being a womanizer as alright since his son Laertes as alright. About Feminism in Hamlet. In Shakespeare’s dramatic works there is no room for the heroic or the strong woman, and therefore many of his plays can be perceived as being antifeminist. Refer our service TO YOUR FRIENDS It is a tawdry joke for a "noble" prince to share with a young woman of the court; however, Hamlet is not shy to share it, and Ophelia seems not at all offended to hear it. “Feminist Criticism and Its Integration in Hamlet” In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, many controversies arose from the text, one of which was feminism. Gertrude chose a brother over the dead old King Hamlet as Ophelia chooses her own father over the young Hamlet (Wells, 2002). Shea's Essay. In other words, Bloom believes that the academic feminists, Marxists, Afrocentrists, and other critics of the canon are motivated by a political desire to correct the sins of the past by replacing the literary works from those eras. This is an utmost menace to the male, patriarchal ego to abuse women. Deprived of thought, sexuality, and language, Ophelia's story becomes...the cipher of female sexuality to be deciphered by feminist interpretation.". Bloom's defense of the Western canon rests on its aesthetic value. All of these feminist interpretations, of course, are drawn from the male dialogue, for the text gives us no direct information about Gertrude's actual thoughts or feelings on these matters. Feminism has gained a new definition a new understanding of female roles since the Elizabethan Era. The character most affected was Ophelia, who was constantly … Daniel's Essay. Susanne Wofford interprets Rose to mean that Gertrude's betrayal of her husband is the cause of Hamlet's anxiety. Meanwhile, Marjorie Garber points to an abundance of phallocentric imagery and language in the play, revealing Hamlet's subconscious focus on his mother's apparent infidelity. She even defends him and adores him to the very end notwithstanding his ruthlessness. The play Hamlet recounts the events that take place in the Denmark kingdom . Cultural force had great influence in Shakespeare's time than that of patriarchy era; where individuals were not much attached to customs. Hamlet takes vengeance to his uncle Claudius who is responsible for murdering the old King Hamlet, and takes the wife of the deceased Gertrude. Therefore, the essence of women was virtually incorporated, creatively, informally, linguistically, and legitimately, by the cultural psyche of the men. https://www.thoughtco.com/hamlet-a-feminist-argument-740000 (accessed January 23, 2021). Loyalty or betrayal, nobody can definitely point out what the truth is; but something … Feminism in the most general of terms is known as the principle advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. Shakespeare is one of the couple people known to support feminism and gender equality because it was a theme in some of his famous plays such as Macbeth and Hamlet. She has a clean heart, though she lies, to Hamlet that her father had left, when he was just behind the curtain, it is out of anxiety. Henderson, Steve. It springs all from her father’s death, and now behold! Hamlet is a play that leaves the audience with the notion that life is worth living, by the imperfect individuals in an imperfect world. Bloom gives fuel to the feminist claim of sexism when he observes that "Queen Gertrude, recently the recipient of several Feminist defenses, requires no apologies. The author uses the female characters in the play to express his own deep emotions; a notion that originates from the contemporary world. She agrees to take his advice because she knows nothing else than to listen a man. While the men are strong-willed, ambitious, and forward, the women are meek. 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