Hamlet's Treatment Of Women In Hamlet Essay

Hamlet’s treatment of the women in the play is an important factor of his personality and the era the play was written in. Hamlet treats his love, Ophelia and his mother, Gertrude with little respect. I believe that the anger Hamlet subjects to Ophelia is brought on by his feelings about his mother, Gertrude. Gertrude marries Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, after Hamlet’s father is killed. Hamlet feels resent towards his mother for marrying Claudius. William Shakespeare writes the character Hamlet to be a complicated character who treats the women of the play according to his beliefs on the level of respect women deserve. I believe that although Hamlet is fond of Ophelia, he keeps his focus on the pain his mother and Claudius have caused him. Hamlet treats his love Ophelia with harsh scorn and hateful remarks because the impact his mother’s actions have had on his view of how women should be perceived. Women are seen as not to be trusted and weak to Hamlet. The audience questions Hamlet’s true feelings for Ophelia because of the way he approaches her. A trap was set by Ophelia’s father Polonius and Claudius to find out why Hamlet
had gone mad, it upset Hamlet to know Ophelia was apart of it. Hamlet tells Ophelia who unknowingly a part of the trap “...God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another” (lll.i.150). After Hamlet takes her innocence, her virginity, and promises Ophelia that he will marry her he leaves her. Hamlet does not believe in marriage. Ophelia is left scorned by Hamlet telling her “get thee to a nunnery” (lll.i.150) as to say she should not have children because they will be born sinners. Hamlet believes that if a woman’s children are sinners, it must be her fault. The topic of sexuality is brought up involving how conservative a woman’s virginity was, if a woman lost her virginity before she married she was considered a disgrace. Shakespeare leaves the readers with an uncertainty about Hamlet’s feelings for Ophelia. Hamlet’s mother is the true cause of his treatment towards Ophelia ”O god a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer” (l.ii.150) Hamlet is saying that an animal would be more upset over his father’s death than his mother, and that she did not take long enough to mourn her husband’s death. Hamlet antagonizes his mother for the act she has done, marrying King Claudius his father’s brother, and killer. Hamlet's bitter feelings towards women taught him that all women are corrupt and deceitful. Sexuality is often talked about in the play because Hamlet brings up his mother, Gertrude, sleeping with Claudius, his uncle. Hamlet truly believes that all women are weak and naturally evil, his ideals towards women stem from the treatment he received from his mother. The ghost of Hamlet’s father lets it be known to Hamlet that Gertrude is off limits to all revenge he wishes to seek towards Claudius. Hamlet does not approve of his mother’s choices and lets her actions speak for all women including Ophelia. William Shakespeare writes his main character Hamlet to be a complicated and determined main character.
Ophelia is left scorned by Hamlet’s cruel words saying that if she were to have a child and that child be born a sinner it would be her fault. Hamlet’s opinions on how women should be treated is set by his mother’s effect on him. Shakespeare makes Hamlet’s love for Ophelia clear to the reader by allowing Hamlet to say “I loved Ophelia, Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum.” (V.i.262) Although Hamlet does have a deep love for Ophelia he is blinded by the thought that all women must be fraudulent and dishonest. The women in “Hamlet” are controlled by the male figures and seen as sinners from birth. Hamlet’s cruelty towards his love Ophelia stems from Gertrude’s treatment towards Hamlet growing
up.