Hamlet”: A Misogynist Essay Sample

July 23, 2017 General Studies

Shakespeare’s literature has given his audience the evidences to believe that his tragic hero Hamlet is slightly of a woman hater. A woman hater can be defined as a adult male who shows exaggerated antipathy towards adult females. The word “misogynist” comes from ancient Grecian words “misein” intending hatred and “gyne” significance adult females. Hamlet’s demeanor leads the reader to believe that Shakespeare could hold shared the same positions as his supporter Hamlet. In the drama. there are many illustrations of address from Hamlet. which convey misogynic beliefs. These quotation marks are directed at both his female parent. Gertrude. and to some extent his “love. ” Ophelia. Hamlets comments at the two adult females in his life can take a reader to believe he is a woman hater.

The manner Ophelia is treated by Hamlet shows his vision towards all adult females. He treats Ophelia as merely another adult females as he Judgess her like the remainder. who are all the same. He says “Or. if thou wilt demands marry. get married a sap ; for wise work forces know good plenty what monsters you make of them” ( Act 3. Scene 1. Line 136-138 ) . The manner Hamlet speaks to Ophelia in the drama shows his belief of how adult females manipulate the work forces in his society at the clip. When Hamlet says “if 1000 wilt needs marry. get married a sap. for wise work forces know good plenty what monsters you make of them. ” he generalizes adult females in two different positions. In one sense. he is saying that all adult females seduce work forces as a manner to acquire what they want or in other words. use. The other manner to look at this statement is by taking the remark on matrimony. and construing it as how all adult females believe that they can flim-flam their foolish hubbies. and darnel on them. Hamlet considers marriage a trap for work forces set by all adult females and that merely the foolish work forces fail to recognize it for what it is. Ophelia is made to be the love of the hero in the drama. but Hamlet views her and all adult females as unfaithful and deceiving persons.

Hamlet can be seen to handle adult females ill but he besides regards his female parent in the same mode. Soon into the drama. Hamlet realizes that his female parent is merely like the remainder of the adult females in his universe. His female parent Gertrude. shortly after her first hubby passed. didn’t spend much clip in happening her new spouse. Hamlet shows his feelings towards his female parent in his first monologue. He states “Let me non believe on ‘t. Frailty. thy name is adult female! A small month. or ere those places were old…” ( Act 1. Scene 2. Line 146 ) In this transition. Hamlet expresses a batch of his feelings for his female parent and adult females in general. He begins by stating “Frailty. thy name is adult females. ” which is interpreted as “women you are so weak. ” This is Hamlet stating that adult females are hapless and are non certain of them-selves. He besides goes every bit far as stating that even a animal would mourn the decease of its spouse longer so his female parent did his male parent as she remarried under a month clip. Comparing his female parent to a animal demonstrates how he believes his female parent showed no compassion to her hubby and how adult females can non be trusted. Further into the monologue. Hamlet speaks of how his female parent remarried before the cryings from his father’s decease had dried. which exaggerates how speedy his female parent determination of bewraying trueness to Old Hamlet took. Hamlet is evidently disgusted at his female parent and he sees her and the remainder of adult females in general as soft and unpatriotic

The one scene in “Hamlet” . which shows the most disregard for adult females is that of which he gets Gertrude. Ophelia and King Claudius to hush in idea. This is the scene where Hamlet holds a drama. “The Mousetrap” in which he plans to catch the scruples of Claudius into acknowledging that he murdered Hamlets male parent. Old Hamlet. The scene begins with crossroads giving advice to the histrions before he leaves into the bases to sit and watch. As he sits beside Ophelia he says. “Lady. shall I lie in your lap? ” ( Act 3. Scene 2. Line 109 ) inquiring Ophelia to put his caput between her lap. which turns into an awkward conversation affecting sex. In this conversation. Hamlet instantly takes a higher place and is the one inquiring the inquiries holding Ophelia respond to his inquiries with yes and no replies. Hamlet treats Ophelia as a lesser signifier of homo in the scene and in the whole drama.

As that subdivision continues. Hamlet and Ophelia’s conversation continues to take up to an of import line in the drama. When Ophelia says ” ‘Tis brief. my lord” mentioning to the prologue of the drama set up. Hamlet goes “As woman’s love” directed towards his female parent who was sitting with King Claudius. After he hounds Ophelia doing her feel weak as a adult females he directs a remark. which points out Queen Gertrude’s infidelity. This makes non merely Ophelia and Gertrude quiet but besides Claudius as they all know that his words are true and proven by the actions which have occurred in the last month. Hamlet gets both his female parent and his “love” in one clip. doing them both see themselves the manner he does. deceitful.

The manner Hamlet speaks to the two adult females in his life allows us to see him a woman hater. In one manner. the character Hamlet can be seen as an reading of the ideas of Shakespeare himself. He uses many quotation marks in his dramas. which make his cardinal character. Hamlet. a woman hater. His quotation marks are directed at his “love” Ophelia and his female parent Gertrude. take downing them both. There are merely two chief adult females in Hamlet and within the drama. Hamlet makes repeated feministic comments on both of them. Ophelia is considered brainsick in the drama and Gertrude is portrayed as a really unloyal married woman. Hamlets positions of all adult females are reflected on the positions he has of Gertrude and Ophelia. Hamlet’s positions have been repeatedly proven to be misogynous.