Examples Of Misogyny In Hamlet

Misogyny in Hamlet
In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the title character has many different states of mind and personality changes. However, he consistently shows throughout the play misogynistic behavior. Because Hamlet feels so betrayed by the actions of his mother, he begins to associate this betrayal with the actions of all women, which causes him to treat Ophelia cruelly and unfairly. Hamlet’s misogyny is shown in how he speaks about his mother, how he addresses Ophelia, and in how he refers to women in general. Hamlet shows many times in the play that he has a high disrespect for women, and uses his low opinion towards the female gender as a stereotype for all women. This could easily be interpreted as misogyny.
Throughout the
play, the leading character of Hamlet behaves in a misogynistic manner towards the women in his life. However, many things he says also involve misogynistic content. Hamlet appears to have a slight obsession with women being promiscuous to the point that he includes it in his analogies. “Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with word.” Hamlet seemed to feel the need to mention ‘whores’ there. In discussion with Ophelia, Hamlet mentions how he believes that women are two-faced. “God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another.” Hamlet is referring to the actions of all women, not just Ophelia or his mother. Hamlet also believes that all women are out only to deceive men like himself. “It is but foolery but it is such a kind of gain-giving as would perhaps trouble a woman.” He refers to ‘gain-giving’ as meaning a feeling of anxiety or misgiving, which he is associating with women.
After the death of his father, and his mother’s immediate remarriage to his uncle, Hamlet begins to show feelings of hatred towards his mother.
Many of the things he says about her, or in reference to her could easily be seen as misogynistic. He refers to her actions as if they are typical of all women. Hamlet is impatient with the introduction of the play. Ophelia assures him that it will be brief, to which Hamlet replies, “As woman’s love.” Although Ophelia has done nothing to betray Hamlet in any way and is still very much in love with him, Hamlet assumes that her love won’t last simply because Gertrude’s love for Hamlet’s father did not last after his death. In a soliloquy early into the play, Hamlet mentions what he considers to be his mother’s betrayal to him and his father and utters, “Frailty, thy name is woman!” ‘Frailty is referring to his mother’s ‘moral weakness’ which in Gertrude’s case, could very well be true, but it his reference to all women having moral weaknesses and being distrustful. Similarly, when Hamlet finds out the truth regarding his father’s death from the Ghost, he includes the line, “O most pernicious woman!” in his soliloquy. This is to reiterate that women are evil. It is shown in many cases that Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother and seems to use these feelings against all
women.
It is evident throughout the play that Hamlet holds bitter feelings towards women as a result of the actions of his mother, Gertrude. These feelings are clearly shown by the way that he talks to Ophelia on countless occasions. Although at times he ears to be in love with her, he thinks that she is untrustworthy and deceitful. “That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty.” Even though Ophelia has done nothing to betray Hamlet he constantly belittles her. Hamlet believes that Ophelia is a whore and can only be saved by religion, and does not deserve to be happy with a man. “If thou dost marry, I’ll give plague for thy dowry: be chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell, or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know what monsters you make of them.” Although Ophelia has not acted in as such, Hamlet believes that all women are whores because he thinks that his mother has acted like one. And although Ophelia has professed her love to Hamlet, he believes that she is being deceptive with her feelings towards him. “I could interpret between you and your love if I could see the puppets dallying.” though Ophelia appears to truly love Hamlet he refuses to believe that her intentions are sincere. Throughout the play, Ophelia remains to be innocent, naive and in love with a man who constantly insults her. However, Hamlet’s opinion of women has been twisted by his mother and therefore he treats Ophelia terribly.
Hamlet proves many times in the play that he does indeed not hate just the women in his life, but apparently all women in general. Several of the misogynistic things that he says are not about the specific women that he is involved with, but about the entire female gender. It appears that his outlook on women was drastically altered by what he considers to be his mother’s deception and therefore has taken a discriminatory and misogynistic view on women.