Hamlet Role of Women
For many years in the past women played a small role socially, economically, and politically. As a result of this many works in literature were reflective of this smaller role of women. In Elizabethan theaters small boys dressed and played the roles of women. In contrast to this trend, in Shakespeare's Hamlet the women in the play are driving factors for the actions of many other characters. Both Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and Ophelia, Hamlet's love, affected many of the decisions and actions done by Hamlet. Gertrude influenced Hamlet significantly throughout the course of the play. Hamlet was very angered by his mother's remarriage. A few months after his father's death, Gertrude married Claudius, Hamlet's uncle. He was driven mad when his father's ghost appeared to him and revealed that Claudius was responsible for the death of Old Hamlet. Hamlet even termed the marriage as incest.
"Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell" (Act #. There is much evidence to show that Hamlet loved her a great deal, but his pretense of madness drove her to her death. "If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. The play would not have been as effective if there was no consequence to Hamlet's actions. In addition to that he scared her when he left the room with his eyes still fixed on her. Therefore, Gertrude is the driving factor for the whole setup of the play. Another significant female character is Ophelia, Hamlet's love. Hamlet's fury is displayed when he throws his mother on the bed and says, "Frailty, thy name is woman" (Act #. Hamlet says, "I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers Could not, with all their quantity of love, Make up my sum. The play could not have been developed if Gertrude had not married Hamlet's uncle. He advises her to go to a nunnery and avoid marriage if she can.
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