Gender Inequality In Hamlet - 1261 Words

As I perused through CNN, an article titled â€Å"Why China has so few female leaders† caught my attention. According to the article, The Baju Culture, discriminatory policy and the anti-feminism were the reasons China only had two female leaders. However, when observing the world trend, it seems many opportunities and resources are granted to women. Many articles of The New York Times reveal young women as being less dependent on men, higher achievers, ahead of men in education, receiving higher earnings, even referring this moment as the period of a â€Å"reverse gender gap†. Despite the decrease in the gender gap, with the outrageous scandals surrounding Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, and the increase in political strife and organizations†¦show more content†¦And yet within a month/Let me not think on’t Frailty, thy name is woman† (1.2.147-150)! To Hamlet, his mother’s actions are intolerable as she shows a swift and radical change fro m mourning for old Hamlet’s death to marrying his brother. Not only she shows a lack of grief, but also, she shows a physical attachment towards Claudius; this is apparent when Hamlet states, â€Å"‘She married. O, most wicked speed, to post/ With such dexterity to incestuous sheets’† (I.II.161-2)! Therefore, with repugnance, Hamlet criticizes not only Gertrude but also women in general for their weakness and their actions that are driven by emotions rather than reflection. Hamlet refers her actions as dependent and compliant, often showing fickleness. Gertrude’s frailty is depicted again during her interactions with Hamlet who exclaims â€Å" ‘Proclaim no shame/ When the compulsive ardor gives the charge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ † (III.IV.95-6), showing that Gertrude is driven by emotion and seems Many of the times women are expected to follow the commands of the men, often leading to being patronized. Such action is frequently portrayed by Laertes and Polonius. Ophelia, who abides by the orders of the male characters, is shown with the inability to make her own decisions and influenced by the sayings of the men around her. Such incompetence is shown during the interaction between Polonius and Ophelia when the two characters discuss the credibility of Hamlet’s love. When Ophelia believes Hamlet isShow MoreRelatedOphelia And Feminism Essay1471 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play Hamlet Written by William Shakespeare Ophelia is objectified based upon her gender and virginity by her brother Laertes, and is cast aside and treated like a powerless second class citizen by Hamlet. The Oxford Dictionary defines feminism as â€Å"The advocacy of women s rights on the grounds of the equality of the sexes.† Applying the feminist ideal as stated in the previous definition to O phelia’s situation we can reach the conclusion that Ophelia was not treated with the respect and givenRead MoreA Brief Note On William Shakespeare s Hamlet 1134 Words   |  5 Pages Sagar Garg Mr. Wilson IB Literature and Language March 14th 2015 Written Task - Hamlet How and why is a social group represented in a particular way? Outline Paragraph #1 - Introduction Talk about background of play, date, author, major characters How women are represented in the play Women oppressed at the time period at which Hamlet was written in Introduce Ophelia and Gertrude Oppressed by the patriarchal society Paragraph #2 - Body Paragraph 1 - Gertrude Who is Gertrude Gertrude’s valuesRead MoreComparison Of Ophelia And Hamlet By William Shakespeare1382 Words   |  6 Pagescould. 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The tragedy in this approach occurs at the end when Hamlet successfully gets his father’s revenge, but in doing so is also killedRead MoreFeminism in both Hamlet and Lady Oracle Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesThe literary works, Hamlet and Lady Oracle, chart both the life’s course of their main characters and underline the protagonist’s trajectory in some de cisive moments of their existence, when both of them, Hamlet and Joan Foster, need to take some decisions which may change their destinies. In this brief essay I will try to point out similarities and differences between these two stories taking into consideration a feminist approach. First and foremost I would like to mention what do I mean byRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet And The Prince s Lover1463 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet referring to his mother says, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman† (1.2.149), alluding to the claimed inherent weakness of women s character. In Hamlet, the roles of women are minor yet essential to the plot and flow of the play. They have no standing in the society and their voices are never heard. Gertrude and Ophelia, the prince s lover are the only two women in the play that have been portrayed as weak, manipulative and can be used. Their actions and fates are greatly influenced by the men sRead MoreHamlet Character Analysis1502 Words   |  7 PagesWritten by William Shakespeare, Hamlet has a strong relationship with the authors society and era, being the late 1500’s to early 1600’s. Hamlet, a character is confliction with his society, shows different views and actions to his fellow Danish men. Shakespeare c ould create a character whom through Hamlet’s life choices, his own historical and cultural context and the state of Hamlet being in confliction with the Elizabethan-era and Nihilism showed immense differences from his society, which ShakespeareRead MoreConflict Between Hamlet And Laerte By William Shakespeare1564 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout Hamlet, several characters die. For most, this happens through combat, such as the duel between Hamlet and Laerte, which kills them both. In the play, however, two characters die in quick, seemingly careless ways. The first, the fair Ophelia, is killed by her own madness in what seems to be suicide. The other, Gertrude, dies due to the carelessness of her husband, who accidentally poisons her. 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