In Act Four she spirals into madness and dies under ambiguous circumstances. Hamlet sees both women as deceiving and being defined by their morals because of what he sees as Gertrude being unfaithful to his father by marrying Claudius. Gertrude and Ophelia share similarities in both Hamlet’s view of them and in Shakespeare’s description of them. These women characters are Gertrude and Ophelia. The relationship between Ophelia and Hamlet is confusing because it goes back and forth, where Hamlet “loves” Ophelia, to where he “never loved her,” disrespecting her beyond belief. Queen Gertrude's Account of the Death of Ophelia From Shakespeare's Hamlet: A New Commentary by Wilbraham Fitzjohn Trench. Hamlet views both women by their morals and Shakespeare depicts both Gertrude and Ophelia as dependent on men. After Hamlet’s angry confrontation with Gertrude, Gertrude agrees to take Hamlet’s advice that she won’t “let the bloat king tempt [her] again to bed” (III.4.182) and not to tell anyone what Hamlet has told her by saying: Be thou assured, if words be made of breath, And breath of life, I have no life to breathe, What thou hast said to me. Although Gertrude and Ophelia are not well developed through out the play, their actions, language and influence on the play portray them as the obedient passive type of women. However, Ophelia is an extremely complicated character as she can be read in many different ways. Ophelia’s tragedy lies in the way she loses her innocence through no fault of her own. However, it is Shakespeare’s description of Gertrude and Ophelia depicts them as dependent on men. Ophelia is interfered with in her love-life by her brother Laertes, her father Polonius and by Hamlet himself. Part of the difficulty is that Shakespeare wrote his female roles for men, and there were always limitations on them that restricted and defined the characterizations devised. Ophelia and Gertrude have no real Autonomy, they are at the mercy of Hamlet, Claudius, Rodrigo, and Laertes moods to define their moods, and when the men are in conflict the women suffer, which is death in this case. All their lives Ophelia and Gertrude are led by the men’s power; they together make a weak image of dependent women at Shakespeare’s time. Gertrude and Ophelia are the only two female characters in the play, and there are many males in the play that treat them with disrespect. Additional materials, such as the best quotations, synonyms and word definitions to make your writing easier are also offered here. He also tells Ophelia that he is aware of her deceit by telling her: I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. Ophelia is easily manipulated and influenced by men. You can order our professional work here. As previously noted, Hamlet has a complicated relationship with his mother, which affects his relationships with Ophelia. In the past, he used to love her, but Gertrude’s actions destroyed Hamlet’s views on love. Gertrude is also dependent on men as seen when she marries Claudius right after her first husband was murdered. in Compact Literature Reading Reacting Writing. Two victimized/ marginalized women characters are involved in Shakespeare's play. The character of Ophelia has fascinated directors, actresses, writers and painters since she first appeared on stage. Character Analysis Ophelia. He admires and desires to be like Fortinbras who would behave passionately and fight for no good reasons. Get free homework help on William Shakespeare's Hamlet: play summary, scene summary and analysis and original text, quotes, essays, character analysis, and filmography courtesy of CliffsNotes. He doubts whether Gertrude had really loved his father due to her quick remarriage after his death and insufficient mourning. Ophelia. Shakespeare’s depiction of Gertrude and Ophelia presents them as dependent on men as Ophelia goes mad and commits suicide after she loses her father and Gertrude remarries after her first husband’s death. As he sidles in next to Ophelia, he begins taunting her with sexually explicit barbs, each of which she coolly deflects, remarking upon Hamlet’s good mood this evening. She is innocent, and naïve with no experience in life. (2016, Jul 30). William Shakespeare's Hamlet follows the young prince Hamlet home to Denmark to attend his father's funeral. Ophelia was reliant on her father and she loses him when he dies. Gertrude and Ophelia (Hamlet) In Hamlet, the women act the small roles portraying their historical status at the time. Characters Analysis in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Gertrude and Ophelia, Hamlet and The Lion King and Hamlet Movies: a Comparison Essay, A Comparative Analysis of Claudius and Hamlet, A Tragedy Of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, The Sole Purpose of William Shakespeare in Presentation of Madness in Hamlet, Action And Inaction in The Play "Hamlet", Novel "The Kite Runner" And Poem "Unchangeable Past", Understanding the Importance of a Dream in a Midsummer Night's Dream, By William Shakespeare, An Assessment of Henrik Ibsen’s Play, a Doll's House Vs. the Film Adaptation, A Look at Prejudice against Women in William Shakespeare’s, a Midsummer Night's Dream, A View of Compassion and Understanding as Demonstrated in William Shakespeare’s, a Midsummer Night's Dream, Depiction of the Relationship Between a Writer and Their Work in the Play A Raisin in The Sun, Review of Different Themes: The Dead, By James Joyce Vs. a Raisin in the Sun, By Lorraine Hansberry. Hamlet’s proclamation that he will “speak daggers to her, but use none” illustrate that he perceives her to be inferior, weak enough to fall foul to his words. Hamlet expresses a lot of concern regarding both Gertrude and Ophelia’s morality and views women in general as deceitful because of Gertrude’s quick marriage to Claudius after the death of his father. Character Analysis. She does love Hamlet with her pure heart, but she is also too submissive to her dad Polonius and brother Laertes. spam or irrelevant messages, We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Let a Professional Expert Help You, Ask a professional expert to help you with your text, Give us your email and we'll send you the essay you need, By clicking Send Me The Sample you agree to the terms and conditions of our service. They are a portrait of what women in Shakespeare’s time were like, dependent on men and never could control their own fate. 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