Hamlet's Treatment of Ophelia and Gertrude

Hamlet's Treatment of Ophelia and Gertrude

Modern folklore suggests women look at a man's relationship with his mother to predict how they will treat other women in their life. Hamlet is a good example of a son's treatment of his mother reflecting how he will treat the woman he loves because when considering Hamlet's attitude and treatment of the
Ophelia in William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, one must first consider how
Hamlet treated his mother. A characteristic of Hamlet's personality is to make broad, sweeping generalizations and nowhere is this more evident than in his treatment toward women. Very early in the play, while discussing his mother's transgressions, he comments, "Frailty, thy name is woman. (Hoy, 11)." Hamlet appears to believe all women act in the same manner as his mother. The first time the audience meets Hamlet, he is angry and upset at Queen
Gertrude, his mother, for remarrying his uncle so soon after the death of his father. In his first soliloquy he comments on the speed of her remarriage

Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. (Hoy, 11)

It is understandable Hamlet is upset with his mother for forgetting about his father and marrying his uncle, Claudius. In Hamlet's eyes, his father deserves more than one month of mourning and by remarrying so quickly, the queen has sullied King Hamlet's memory. This remarriage is a sin and illegal, however special dispensation was made because she is queen. Hamlet's opinion of his mother worsens as the play progresses because his father, who appears as a ghost, tells him of his mother's adulterous behavior and his uncle's shrewd and unconscionable murder. Although Hamlet promises to seek revenge on King Claudius for murdering his father, he is initially more concerned with the ghost's revelations regarding his mother.
King Hamlet tells Hamlet not to be concerned with his mother but after the apparition leaves, it is the first thing Hamlet speaks of. Before vowing to avenge his father's death, he comments on the sins his mother committed. Although Hamlet decides to pretend to be insane in order to plot against the King, it is clear, he really does go mad. His madness seems to amplify his anger toward his mother. During the play scene, he openly embarrasses her and acted terribly toward her in the closet scene. The closet scene explains much about Hamlet's treatment of women and his feelings toward his mother. Hamlet yells at his mother for destroying his ability to love. He accuses her of

such an act That blurs the grace and blush of modesty, Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose From the fair forehead of an innocent love And sets a blister there.

Hamlet curses his mother for being responsible for his inability to love Ophelia. Queen Gertrude's actions have caused Hamlet to see all women in a different light because she has taken away his innocence and love for women. After Hamlet kills Polonius, he tests Queen Gertrude to see if she knows about the murder of his father and both he and the audience seem satisfied she was not party to that knowledge. Hamlet takes it upon himself to tell the queen her new husband killed the former king, however he is interrupted by the ghost who warns Hamlet not to tell his mother. The ghosts tells Hamlet he should be more concerned with King Claudius, suggesting revenge must be taken soon (Dover
Wilson, 248). During this scene Queen Gertrude is unable to see her dead husband which in Elizabethan times implied she was "unable to see the ‘gracious figure' of her husband because her eyes are held by the adultery she has committed (Dover
Wilson, 254)." The ghosts steals away from the closet when he realizes his widow cannot see him, causing Hamlet to hate Gertrude even more because he felt the same rejection when Ophelia rejected him. He can feel his father's grief as a son and as a lover (Dover Wilson, 255). It was devastating to see his father rejected by the queen in the same manner he was rejected by Ophelia. Understanding Hamlet's hatred toward his mother is pivotal in understanding his relationship with Ophelia because it provides insight into his treatment of Ophelia. In Hamlet's eyes, Ophelia did not treat him with the love and respect she should have. Hamlet and Ophelia loved each other but very early in the play, she is told by her father to break off all contact with him.
Hamlet is understandably upset and bewildered when Ophelia severs their relationship with no explanation. The audience does not see the next interaction with Hamlet and Ophelia but hear Ophelia tell her father about Hamlet's distress, causing them to both to believe Hamlet is mad, thus falling for his plot. According to Ophelia,
Hamlet's appearance was one of a madman. She described for her father the length of time he stayed her in bedroom and said

He raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk, And end his being. That done, he lets me go, And with his head over his shoulder turned He seemed to find his way without his eyes, For out adoors he went without their helps, And to the last bended their light on me. (Hoy, 27)

Hamlet comes to Ophelia on the brink of a breakdown, partly caused by his mother's infidelities and when he turns to his lover for support, his mother's lesson are reinforced and through her actions, Ophelia confirms in Hamlet's mind, that women can not be trusted. Although Hamlet was pretending to be mad, he still loved Ophelia and was devastated by her disloyalty (Dover Wilson, 111-112).

Although Ophelia was only following the wishes of her father, her actions suggest to Hamlet she can be no more trusted than Queen Gertrude. In a cryptic way Hamlet is incredibly rude to Polonius calling him a fishmonger, or a
"bawd" and his daughter a prostitute in Act II (Dover Wilson, 105). This is the jilted lover speaking in this scene more so than the mad man Hamlet is pretending to be. Hamlet's anger deepens toward Ophelia when he hears of the King, Queen and Polonius' plot to use Ophelia to find out if he has gone mad for love of her. Poor Ophelia, just wanting to please her father and the royalty, sadly over plays her role during the nunnery scene. Ophelia anxiously jumps into her role at the beginning of their conversation, barely even greeting Hamlet before she tries to return his gifts. Although he claims not to have given such gifts, she says My honored lord, you know right well you did, And with them words of so sweet breath composed As made the things more rich. Their perfume lost, Take these again, for to the noble mind Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind. There, my lord. (Hoy, 45)

With this speech, Ophelia wanted to provoke Hamlet into declaring his love, but instead, he called her a liar. The entire rest of this scene is meant for
Polonius and the King who are listening. Hamlet recognizes Ophelia's dismal attempt at acting and gives her one last chance to redeem herself

Ham. Where's your father? Oph. At home my lord. (Hoy, 45)

Ophelia has failed the final test because Hamlet knows her father is listening.
At this point in the play, Hamlet is very unstable and in his mind, he thinks all women are adulterous like his mother and cannot be trusted. Ophelia has just proved this to him and he acts terribly toward her, telling her

Get thee to a nunnery, farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them.
To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell. (Hoy, 46)

Hamlet seems to be talking about women in general when he says a wise man knows what a monster a woman can make of them. He is being very cruel to all women, not just Ophelia, in this scene, because they are all the same to him. Hamlet goes as far as calling Ophelia a prostitute as a nunnery refers to a bawd house
(Dover Wilson, 134). For someone who is presumably in love, Hamlet treats Ophelia terribly in this play. His anger and hatred toward his mother, on top of his insanity, makes it difficult for him to see that Ophelia was following her father's orders, not purposefully betraying Hamlet. This treatment of women is unbecoming of a hero in a tragedy and really shows the extent of his insanity. It was too much for Hamlet to accept the death of his father by the hand of his uncle and the adulterous behavior of his mother, so consequently he was very harsh on Ophelia.
Hamlet could not bear any more rejection and despair in his life which Ophelia, whether she meant to or not, brought into it.