What is the significance of Hamlet’s Focus on Female Sexuality?
The play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare, written in 1599 repeatedly brings up female sexuality. The emphasis on female sexuality has a lot to do with the time period and gender stereotypes in the time, some that are still vivid in the twenty first century. “Hamlet” was written in the early modern English era, a time in which a female’s chastity was held as her “primary virtue”. (Gibson 2)
During the year 1955 the ruler of England was Queen Elizabeth the first and she changed the religion that was imposed upon England by Queen Mary, to Protestant. Protestants have been known for being very vocal about sex and sexual desires, just like the characters within “Hamlet”. …show more content…
The most influential writers of the sex manuals claim that the best way to learn about sex is through the bible, itself. (DeRogatis p.99) The topic of sex has always been taboo and commonly people shied away from talking about sex openly. Living in a country that is gradually beginning to talk about sex and sexuality gives a writer an easier platform to approach the topic of sexual desire. Hamlet is a character who seems to be obsessed with sexuality and that isn’t very appalling to the people around him, rather they talk very similarly about females and female sexuality. Hamlet is known for repeatedly bringing up his mother’s sex life which seems odd to many people. Prince Hamlet speaks about his mother’s sex life with his uncle, Claudius, by saying, “why she should hang on him/As if increase in appetite had grown/By what is fed on.” (Hamlet 1.2.143-145) Prince Hamlet speaks upon Gertrude’s sex life as if she is not supposed to have one …show more content…
The idea of chastity was so strongly emphasized upon the people of the time that priests and “municipal officials” were required to look around for “illicit pregnancies” and further look into any rumors that had been started about “extramarital sexual activity” and anyone found guilty was punished. (Poska 139) Having such strong rules about women and what they should be doing with their bodies allows the other end, in this case the men, to have power upon women. This power subdues a female’s ability to live her life following her own desires and this is very similar when looking at the character of Ophelia. Ophelia is told not to interact with Hamlet by her brother, Laertes and her father, Polonius. Ophelia’s brother specifically tells her not believe Hamlet if he claims to love her. (Hamlet 1.3.23-34) This not only shines a light on the elevated podium that behold Ophelia’s virginity but also accentuates on the idea of a male’s obsession with sex and that men should not be trusted. This hypocritical claim by Laertes reflects his life style, considering his own actions France but can’t be proven true for Hamlet, yet he continues to impose the idea that men are only out for sex, upon his sister, and his father joins on to further articulate the same
The play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare, written in 1599 repeatedly brings up female sexuality. The emphasis on female sexuality has a lot to do with the time period and gender stereotypes in the time, some that are still vivid in the twenty first century. “Hamlet” was written in the early modern English era, a time in which a female’s chastity was held as her “primary virtue”. (Gibson 2)
During the year 1955 the ruler of England was Queen Elizabeth the first and she changed the religion that was imposed upon England by Queen Mary, to Protestant. Protestants have been known for being very vocal about sex and sexual desires, just like the characters within “Hamlet”. …show more content…
The most influential writers of the sex manuals claim that the best way to learn about sex is through the bible, itself. (DeRogatis p.99) The topic of sex has always been taboo and commonly people shied away from talking about sex openly. Living in a country that is gradually beginning to talk about sex and sexuality gives a writer an easier platform to approach the topic of sexual desire. Hamlet is a character who seems to be obsessed with sexuality and that isn’t very appalling to the people around him, rather they talk very similarly about females and female sexuality. Hamlet is known for repeatedly bringing up his mother’s sex life which seems odd to many people. Prince Hamlet speaks about his mother’s sex life with his uncle, Claudius, by saying, “why she should hang on him/As if increase in appetite had grown/By what is fed on.” (Hamlet 1.2.143-145) Prince Hamlet speaks upon Gertrude’s sex life as if she is not supposed to have one …show more content…
The idea of chastity was so strongly emphasized upon the people of the time that priests and “municipal officials” were required to look around for “illicit pregnancies” and further look into any rumors that had been started about “extramarital sexual activity” and anyone found guilty was punished. (Poska 139) Having such strong rules about women and what they should be doing with their bodies allows the other end, in this case the men, to have power upon women. This power subdues a female’s ability to live her life following her own desires and this is very similar when looking at the character of Ophelia. Ophelia is told not to interact with Hamlet by her brother, Laertes and her father, Polonius. Ophelia’s brother specifically tells her not believe Hamlet if he claims to love her. (Hamlet 1.3.23-34) This not only shines a light on the elevated podium that behold Ophelia’s virginity but also accentuates on the idea of a male’s obsession with sex and that men should not be trusted. This hypocritical claim by Laertes reflects his life style, considering his own actions France but can’t be proven true for Hamlet, yet he continues to impose the idea that men are only out for sex, upon his sister, and his father joins on to further articulate the same