Comparing Gertrude And Ophelia

Renaissance literarily meaning ‘rebirth’ in French, refers to a period after the Middle ages thus traditionally it is associated with the 14th to the 17th Century. The Renaissance was not only a period of history but a cultural movement similar to Modernism and Romanticism, only much earlier then the other two. Typically, the Renaissance was the rebirth of European culture after the depression and deterioration of the Dark Ages. The Renaissance was born in Italy but later expanded to the rest of Europe. The English Renaissance is believed to be somewhere between 1550-1660. Significantly the Renaissance lead to an efflorescence of arts, both literary and visual.

This periodization is significant to our understanding of Shakespeare, given
that Shakespeare was born during the late Renaissance period when the England was influenced by the Renaissance. In many respects Shakespeare is also credited with bringing the Renaissance to the stage.

However, despite the slow transgression towards our current modern times that the Renaissance provided the foundation, the matter of female rights was much more complicated during the Renaissance. The women question (Querelle des Femmes) emerged during the Renaissance, which was a debate over the piper role of women.

Renaissance women and young girls of the upper classes enjoyed an increased access to education, however this education was not to provide them with future employment, but to learn how to act as ‘ladies of the court’ and ‘patronesses of the arts’. There was also a sexual double standard at the time that dictated that women had to be pure until married but men where not required to do so. This point will be mentioned later in regards to Hamlet.

Overall women had a limited number of ‘freedoms’ during this period. In regard to life and marital status, women had to either become married, have children and act as dutiful wives or become nuns and devote themselves to God.

Fundamentally, marriage was not a matter of love but a form of alliance between families. Every young women was to be married into another family without even being consulted also the husband Parents were heavily involved in the marriages especially if property was involved. Often young women were married to much older men in hopes that the family would earn a hefty dowry. If widowed a women would be encouraged to marry again in order to The Victoria and Albert museum verifies the above on one of their contents pages regarding Renaissance women (See bibliography).

In contrast, women of the Middle Ages seemed to have had a higher status compared to Renaissance women who seemed to have lost status. Nonetheless there were many female rulers during the Renaissance and two(Elizabeth I and Mary I) being of the English monarchy.This essay will argue that Shakespeare attempts to show us the lack of female freedom and the supposed irrefutability of patriarchy through his plays as this essay will elaborate on later.

If widowed marry again Breast feeding frowned upon in high class - wet nurses used instead Women not allowed to act— Female roles done by prepubescent boys until 1660 Due to Puritan rule under Oliver Cromwell
1) the regulation of female sexuality, as compared with male sexuality;
2) women's economic and political roles, (i.e., the kind of work they performed as compared with men, and their access to property, political power, and the education or training necessary for work, property, and power);
3) the cultural roles of women in shaping the outlook of their society, and access to the education and/or institutions necessary for this;
4) ideology about women, in particular the sex-role system displayed or advocated in the symbolic products of the society, its art, literature, and philosophy.

Hamlet (Written 1599 and 1602) (Published 1603):

There are only two female characters in Hamlet, Ophelia who acts as a love interest to Hamlet, and Hamlets recently widowed mother, Gertrude. Because of Ophelia and Gertrude, Hamlet begins to believe that all women are lustful, deceitful and self serving. Hamlet constantly uses the term “woman” to describe most negative things, sometimes unnecessarily so “Lady worm” being one.

Hamlet is quite vicious towards women in the plays and acts very hostile towards both of them
Hamlet’s relationship to his mother Gertrude is a complicated one, since critics and scholars are quite divided on their stance.- has to marry Claudius- not necessarily lustful Ophelia can be seen as a kind of extreme, subversive double for Hamlet such as what he would be like if robbed of all power and agency. She is also romantic tragic heroine Gertrude’s descriptive of Ophelia’s death, Ophelia’s death sounds as death but everyone believes that Ophelia has committed suicide

Ophelia also in tight stop- father killed by her sort of lover and Polonius obese end of Act 4 Ophelia assigns rosemary to Hamlet, who is present to her imagination; she gives pansies to Laertes; fennel and columbines to Claudius; and rue to the Queen and herself. Elizabethan audience would understand meaning behind flowers.
Hamlet clearly loved by ophelia

Perhaps the most iconic quote of Hamlet, in association with women, would have to be “Frailty thy name is woman” from Hamlet’s first soliloquy.
This quote not only gives great insight to Hamlet’s sentiments regarding the marriage between his Mother and Claudius, but the Renaissance interpretation of women as well.In the play women are frail and submissive as well as obedient to the men around them. There are only two female characters throughout the play Gertrude and Ophelia both of whom are passive (this is more expected of Ophelia given that she is a minor personage) in the play’s escalating drama and somewhat marginalised.Hamlet generally regards his mother as ‘corrupt’ and ‘lustful’ given her relationship with Claudius.

Another iconic scene would be the ‘Nunnery Scene’ (Act 3 Scene 1). During a heated moment in the play Ophelia is told to go to nunnery by Hamlet after she returns his . “Get thee to a nunnery” Hamlet exclaims

Hamlet’s relationship to his mother Gertrude is a complicated one, since critics and scholars are quite divided on their stance.- has to marry Claudius- not necessarily lustful Ophelia can be seen as a kind of extreme, subversive double for Hamlet such as what he would be like if robbed of all power and
agency.
Ophelia appears in only five of the play's twenty scenes; the pre-play course of her love story with Hamlet is known only by a few ambiguous flashbacks. Her tragedy is subordinated in the play; unlike Hamlet, she does not struggle with moral choices or alternatives. Perhaps the most iconic quote of Hamlet, in association with women, would have to be “Frailty thy name is woman” from Hamlet’s first soliloquy.
This quote not only gives great insight to Hamlet’s sentiments regarding the marriage between his Mother and Claudius, but the Renaissance interpretation of women as well.In the play women are frail and submissive as well as obedient to the men around them. There are only two female characters throughout the play Gertrude and Ophelia both of whom are passive (this is more expected of Ophelia given that she is a minor personage) in the play’s escalating drama and somewhat marginalised.Hamlet generally regards his mother as ‘corrupt’ and ‘lustful’ given her relationship with Claudius.
A fact highlighted in the play is that Ophelia seems to possess no will of her own and is instructed by Polonius and Laertes this relationship relates to patriarchy two men on how women should behave. Obviously there is a relationship between madness and Renaissance women.
Moreover, Ophelia is unstable in mentality which eventually leads to her tragic demise, ironically it is only after her death that Hamlet shows any explicit romantic affection towards her. She becomes ‘mad’ after her confrontation with
Hamlet

The Taming of the Shrew (Written between 1590 and 1592) Published 1593:
Taming of the Shrew is the only Shakespearean play that uses an induction, taming of the shrew is essentially a play within a play
Katherine described as “a strong-willed soul, notorious for her wit and independence.” by the Globe Theatre
The way Petruchio behaves with Katherine is typically Renaissance: she does not conform with the rules of society as he knows it and he sees her almost as not human, so he tries to make her conform and 'humanise' her.
There is never any question as to whether such rules are right or wrong, and the process of 'humanisation' is a violent, ruthless one; the object (Katherine) is forced to lose everything in order to gain a new identity.
This is exactly how Europeans were behaving towards native people in America at the time.

Ironically Bianca more of a shrew than Katherine - Katherine put in a particular

Similarly to Hamlet,this play also only has two central female characters, however unlike in Hamlet, through the entirety of the play Bianca acts as a foil to her older sister Katherine. Katherine is regarded as possibly being ‘a stark mad wench’ by Tranio upon her first encounter with her, Katherine actively deviates from her chosen gender role and becomes an unwoman if you will by Katherine’s wild and difficult nature that the men cannot control.

Despite this she becomes ‘tamed’ (hence the title) at the end by Petruchio although this has been an age long dispute over whether her final speech is satirical and sardonic rather than earnest.

On the other hand, Bianca is serene, gentle and docile in nature to highlight this Bianca is described numerous times as being a delicate fragrant flower. In many respects she acts as the ideal woman men desire,this being evident in the very first scene where she was shown already having captured both the hearts of Lucentio and Hortensio. Similarly to Ophelia, Bianca’s life is governed by her father, especially in regards to her courtship, who's wishes she fulfils grudgingly.

As aforementioned, Queer theory will be used to further aid in our analysis of these Shakespearean plays. Fundamentally, Queer theory argues that identities are not fixed and indeterminate to one’s self. Butler claims that one cannot talk about a group such as ‘women’, due to identities are based on many elements it is incorrect to assume that people can be seen collectively on the basis of one shared characteristic. Instead Butler proposes that we deliberately challenge all notions of fixed identity, in unexpected ways.

Despite the above one must be aware that there are many criticisms of Queer theory as consequent

To understand how Queer theory interprets these Shakespearean plays

Taming of the Shrew is the only Shakespearean play that uses an induction, taming of the shrew is essentially a play within a play
Katherine described as “a strong-willed soul, notorious for her wit and independence.” by the Globe Theatre

Macbeth (First performance: April 1611):

Macbeth is a also a tragedy within Lady Macbeth: Fourth Witch— Leads to Macbeths downfall— Overcome by guilt at the end
Three Witches: Evil— Put events in motion— tempt Macbeth
Lady MacDuff: Foil to Lady Macbeth
No women has a name whilst the men are named.

823 words
Conclusion:
To conclude
2 words