She also calls Ophelia a “mermaid”, originally another name for a siren, which was known for unintentionally drowning young … Page Citation. It is not in the same way as Ophelia because she is not controlled by an older male, however she is dominated. • Ophelia is an obedient daughter who is dependent on her father, Polonius First we have Ophelia. In the case of an ingenue like Ophelia, a very young and lovely woman, Shakespeare would have been writing for a boy. Gertrude is Hamlet's mother, a queen who betrayed her husband and got seduced by the prince's uncle Claudius. Your IP: 51.254.215.154 One literary piece wherein women are negatively portrayed is the play “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare. The Portrayal of Women Hamlet explores the position and power of women in society through the actions of both Ophelia and Gertrude and through the authority the men have over them. These two events are the cause of Hamlet’s distress and disgust in Act 1, and form the basis of the revenge plot.However, Shakespeare deliberately leaves the extent of Gertrude’s historic involvement with Claudius (as both his lover and potential accomplice in murder) unclear. Gertrude is portrayed as being weak as well. Their actions and fates are … Although Gertrude is the Queen of Denmark and Ophelia is the prince’s lovers, they have no standing in the society and their voices are never heard. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. In all, since this is a fictitious story, Shakespeare is to blame for this horrid portrayal of women. She, like Cleopatra, is a character of ambiguous morality whom we can never fully know; but whereas Antony and Cleopatra continually invites our judgment of Cleopatra, Hamlet continually deflects our impulse to judge Gertrude. In Hamlet, the women, Ophelia and Gertrude were portrayed as property, non- controlling, inferior, and solely dependent on men throughout the play. In Hamlet, the women, Ophelia and Gertrude were portrayed as property, non- controlling, inferior, and solely dependent on men throughout the play. She is an innocent girl and is naive with no experience in life. In this text, the female characters Ophelia and Gertrude were exposed to the ridicule, mistreatment and oppression of the male characters. Hamlet, being still depressed about his father’s death was further upset and felt betrayed by his mother when she quickly married Claudius. In the closet scene Gertrude is completely over-powered by her son. As Hamlet later said, "hell itself breathes out contagion to this world," but with his silence Hamlet tried to protect Ophelia from that breath of contagion. HAMLET ACT II SCENE I 1. Discuss how women are portrayed and treated in … First of all, we have no firsthand evidence. Analysis #1 Gertrude is a character in the Shakespearian play Hamlet. Ophelia, who looked up greatly towards Polonius, Laertes who has a great influence on her life as well as Hamlet. Ophelia, like other Shakespeare’s heroines, reveals a lot about the play and its themes in her lines and reactions. / The drink, the drink! Ophelia is represented in Hamlet as quite the opposite to Gertrude. By disposition, Gertrude turns to the positive side of life and can’t bear to face pain. Gertrude is the only person who describes Ophelia’s death and she repeats the word “drown’d” multiple times almost as if she is convincing herself that it is true. 314-315). Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. I … Both Gertrude and Ophelia allow themselves to be dominated by their male counterparts which lead to their demise at the end of the play. Two of the main characters are Ophelia and Gertrude, Hamlet… Women are seen as a possession of men. plays is, Hamlet. Although Gertrude and Ophelia are not well developed through out the play, their actions, language and influence on the play portray them as the obedient passive type of women. The root of this belief is the women in Hamlet, Gertrude and Ophelia, are given demoted opinion and roles within the play. ’ (Johnson, 1765) Shakespeare’s characterization of Gertrude and Ophelia in Hamlet is paradoxical as it challenges as well as complements the contemporary social traditions and norms. In this text, the female characters Ophelia and Gertrude were exposed to the ridicule, mistreatment and oppression of the male characters. Gertrude Gertrude betrays Hamlet and the late King Hamlet by marrying Claudius. The Innocence of Gertrude and Ophelia in William Shakespeare's Hamlet 719 Words | 3 Pages. Identify and discuss three qualities/characteristics of Polonius that are evident in this scene.-Overprotective/Cautious – Polonius sends Reynaldo to check and monitor his son to make sure of various things, such as making sure that Laertes is doing well and continues to do the task he left to do. King Hamlet’s death and Gertrude’s wedding to Claudius happen immediately prior to the opening of the play. In the play Gertrude demonstrates many characteristics and traits as the play progresses. Nymph, in thy orisons / Be all my sins remember’d.’ (3.1.90-3) with his back to Ophelia, in a stance that screamed apathy and a careful consideration of his words. Ophelia and Gertrude are the play’s two main female characters. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. 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