Feminism has gained a new definition a new understanding of female roles since the Elizabethan Era. Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare, is about a young prince, Hamlet, being visited by his father’s apparition urging him to avenge his death by murdering Prince Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. All the while, Hamlet is enraged by his mother’s hasty marriage to Claudius and is showering his supposed love, Ophelia, with gifts and words of affection. Queen Gertrude and Ophelia are blindly obedient to male authority due to the influence of the social standards that require women to be submissive to men. Male influence, the social norms of this time, and the females’ consequences of following these norms affect Queen Gertrude and Ophelia’s actions
…show more content…
The playwright need not have one of these works beside him as he wrote: the standards set forth in them were widely enough known that he could assume, for instance, that playgoers would understand why Desdemona should come and go at her husband’s command even after he has unjustly struck her- the onstage audience shows shock at Othello’s action, but no surprise at Desdemona’s obedience. (223-224)
According to this textual evidence, using characters from another Shakespeare play, Othello inequitably strikes Desdemona, in which Desdemona reacts by obeying her husband. The example of Othello and Desdemona can show that females’ blind cooperation toward their husband or other male authority is customary for the Elizabethan era. Hamlet shows blind obedience of women toward men due to the fact that this was the social and historical norm.
Queen Gertrude follows male influence, which is the historical and social norm of the Elizabethan era, through relationships. The relationship in this case is by marrying Claudius after her husband, King Hamlet, passes away. In Act I, Scene II, Hamlet criticizes his mother’s …show more content…
Similarly, Ophelia’s influence of male authority and social norms affect her actions and consequences with the help of Polonius and Laertes.
Ophelia follows male influence, which is the historical and social norm of the Elizabethan era, by obeying her father and taking the advice of her brother. In Act I, Scene III, Polonius gives advice to Ophelia:
For Lord Hamlet, Believe so much in him, that he is young, And with a larger tether may he walk Than may be given you. In few, Ophelia, Do not believe his vows; for they are brokers, Not of that dye which their investments show, But mere implorators of unholy suits, Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds, The better to beguile. This is for all: I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth, Have you so slander any moment leisure, As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look to’t, I charge you. Come your ways.
The playwright need not have one of these works beside him as he wrote: the standards set forth in them were widely enough known that he could assume, for instance, that playgoers would understand why Desdemona should come and go at her husband’s command even after he has unjustly struck her- the onstage audience shows shock at Othello’s action, but no surprise at Desdemona’s obedience. (223-224)
According to this textual evidence, using characters from another Shakespeare play, Othello inequitably strikes Desdemona, in which Desdemona reacts by obeying her husband. The example of Othello and Desdemona can show that females’ blind cooperation toward their husband or other male authority is customary for the Elizabethan era. Hamlet shows blind obedience of women toward men due to the fact that this was the social and historical norm.
Queen Gertrude follows male influence, which is the historical and social norm of the Elizabethan era, through relationships. The relationship in this case is by marrying Claudius after her husband, King Hamlet, passes away. In Act I, Scene II, Hamlet criticizes his mother’s …show more content…
Similarly, Ophelia’s influence of male authority and social norms affect her actions and consequences with the help of Polonius and Laertes.
Ophelia follows male influence, which is the historical and social norm of the Elizabethan era, by obeying her father and taking the advice of her brother. In Act I, Scene III, Polonius gives advice to Ophelia:
For Lord Hamlet, Believe so much in him, that he is young, And with a larger tether may he walk Than may be given you. In few, Ophelia, Do not believe his vows; for they are brokers, Not of that dye which their investments show, But mere implorators of unholy suits, Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds, The better to beguile. This is for all: I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth, Have you so slander any moment leisure, As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look to’t, I charge you. Come your ways.