Ted Bundy, Eminem, Jack the Ripper, and.....Hamlet? The first three names in this list
would be widely accepted when you are listing possible misogynists, however most
people probably don't think that Hamlet fits in this category. I believe that this very
character trait is Hamlet's most prominent flaw. He treated the women in his life with
brutality and callousness. Gertrude and Ophelia were the recipients of many slurs and
hateful actions made by Hamlet. He also personified any negative aspect of life, such as
This tragic flaw is also referred to as a harmatia. Aristotle gives us the meaning of
harmatia to be: a personal tragic flaw that is in some way self inflicted. Hamlet's tragic
flaw is his hatred and condemnation of women. He inflicts this upon himself in many
ways. He jumps to conclusions and believes that certain women in his life are doing
things just to spite him. He judges the decisions of the women in his life without talking
to them about it or asking them any questions. (Aristotle) (
Gertrude is the object of multitudes of bitterness coming from Hamlet. Hamlet is
bitter over his mother's marriage to his uncle, Claudius. He feels that his mother didn't
grieve long enough for his father and that she is of better lineage than to do such a thing.
One of the first things Hamlet says in describing his mother is, " Frailty thy name is
woman!" ( Shakespeare p.29 l.146 ) He then goes on to say that even an animal could
have mourned the death of an owner for longer than Gertrude mourned Hamlet Sr. This
alone sets the tone for understanding Hamlet's view of his mother. He is appalled with
how she is behaving with Claudius and how she is enjoying her life now even though Hamlet Sr. is dead. Hamlet even goes so far as to joke with Horatio in saying that
instead of Horatio coming to attend the funeral of Hamlet Sr. , he is at Elsinore to attend
th...