Submission and Freedom

Women today hold powerful roles in almost every aspect of society such as government leaders, doctors, and businesswomen; however, this fact has not always been the case. A common theme in society during the time period of Hamlet is that women are seen as objects, and they are treated as less than men. They are subject to the men’s rules and have specific duties allotted to them which ultimately restricts them from being themselves. Ophelia and Gertrude, the only women who appear in Hamlet, unfortunately experience this oppression throughout the entirety of the play. Society as a whole views Ophelia and Gertrude in harsh ways because of the choices they make by serving the men in their life. Both women have roles that they are expected to fulfill; however, the roles are difficult for them to accomplish completely. The men in the play create challenges for the women because they are expected to be submissive without question. Through Ophelia and Gertrude’s choices and actions, one is able to see from their point of view and better understand how women are pressured during this time period. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the role of women is seen in the characters Ophelia and Gertrude through societal views, the roles they are expected to fill, the effect of men in their lives, and their feelings throughout the play.

Firstly, societal views of Ophelia and Gertrude show how people are quick to judge women for any given reason. By society’s standards, daughters are expected to follow their father’s commands; however, this notion is a double standard since society views Ophelia as weak when she does listen to her father. Ophelia is given the choice to listen to her father and forget Hamlet, or she disobeys her father to be with Hamlet. She ultimately chooses her father’s wishes, and shortly after, she is told of his death. She begins to chant lauds and sing chaotically of love and death because she feels she makes the wrong choice. She is also distressed over the rejection she receives from Hamlet. Everyone thinks she goes mad, and they dismiss her as just being crazy. The rejection she receives from society eventually leads to her death because she now has no one (Chapman 1-2). Society turns its back on her, and no one is there to comfort her when she goes mad. Similarly, Ophelia is viewed as weak because she lets her father and Hamlet tell her who she should be loyal to and how she needs to act as a submissive daughter or girlfriend. Ophelia goes along with whatever her father tells her out of fear of repercussions that may occur due to his anger or disappointment of her (Sobran 96). This act of submissiveness leads many people to classify Ophelia as weak and unable to think for herself. Additionally, Gertrude is also seen as submissive to the men in her life. She does whatever her husband Claudius asks of her, and she does everything she can to please her son Hamlet. Hamlet resents his mother because she marries his uncle Claudius. Hamlet is also angry with his mother and views her as sinful because he believes she is involved with his father’s death. Hamlet reveals his feelings towards women as a whole, specifically, Gertrude when he states, “Frailty, thy name is woman!” (Shakespeare 1.2.146). This statement shows the misogynistic feelings of Hamlet along with many others in society who view Gertrude’s remarriage as sinful. Society believes she moves on too fast to another husband, and this notion is, yet again, another judgment on her by society that is out of her control. However, she must go along with her marriage to maintain her reputation as queen and keep Claudius happy. She is portrayed as submissive because “Gertrude may at times appear entirely subservient to Claudius, having married him shortly after her first husband’s death and never, through the first four acts overtly contradicting him” (Montgomery 2). Gertrude appears to be submissive to Claudius, and she follows whatever he says. However, later on in the play, she keeps Hamlet’s secret from him and begins to tend to Hamlet more. These actions are examples of how Gertrude remains submissive to her son, and society criticizes her for doing so; however, she is just following her expected role of a loving mother. Many people overlook Ophelia and Gertrude as background characters because they do not have much of an opinion or impact. This assumption is not the case because each woman shows how men during this time treat women. They give the reader insight as to how both must please their father, husband, or son. How they are portrayed in Hamlet does not accurately represent the entirety of their character (Montgomery 1-2). Society criticizes Ophelia and Gertrude because they follow the men’s rules for them; however, any choices they make are criticized because society constantly judges women as a whole.

Secondly, Ophelia and Gertrude struggle with balancing their roles to please the men in their lives. Ophelia must balance between being a submissive daughter and girlfriend to Hamlet which proves to be difficult. Ophelia is torn when she contemplates maintaining her daughterly role because “Ophelia’s choice to obey her father compromises her future, but choosing to disobey her father would scarcely be any better in a world that valued daughterly obedience” (Chapman 5). During this time period, obedience to one’s father is paramount, but Ophelia is not ready to give up her relationship with Hamlet. Ultimately, she chooses to follow her father’s wishes. When Ophelia sees Hamlet, she tells him she no longer feels the same way about him, and Hamlet becomes angry and says, “Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what you make of them” (Shakespeare 3.1.137-140). This statement exemplifies the treatment of Ophelia by Hamlet due to her trying to please her father and be a good daughter. She is not allowed to speak up for herself; instead, she must accept Hamlet’s harsh words and move on. Ophelia is seen as a weak character whose main role is being submissive to the men in her life. After losing her father and with Hamlet leaving her, she goes mad and drowns herself. Ophelia’s choice between pleasing her father and Hamlet creates stress that leads to her own death (Sobran 96-97). Similarly, Gertrude is put in a tough position when she has to choose between being loyal to her husband or her son. She is condemned by Hamlet because he believes she knows about Claudius killing his father. Despite Hamlet’s anger, she wants to show him that she is there for him and loves him. Simultaneously, she also fears disagreeing with Claudius because he does not see eye to eye with Hamlet, so she mostly agrees with Claudius to make him happy. The men in her life create a difficult balance she must maintain to handle the role between a loving wife and mother (Sobran 92-93). She shows her maternal role towards Hamlet when she promises him that she is not going to tell Claudius the real reason he is mad. She keeps her promise to her son, and she tries to comfort him about the death of his father (Montgomery 4-6). Gertrude must try to keep Hamlet and Claudius away from each other while trying to be there for both of them. Ophelia and Gertrude both try to please the men in their lives; however, pressure is put on them when choosing who to be submissive to which ultimately results in broken relationships.

Thirdly, the effects of the men’s controlling behaviors on Ophelia and Gertrude are ultimately shown through the women’s deaths. Ophelia’s father is adamant that she stay away from Hamlet. He believes that Hamlet is just playing around with her, and he advises her not to talk to him anymore. Polonius uses Ophelia to spy on Hamlet and obtain more information about him. Polonius is in the middle of Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship, and he ends up being killed because of his curiosity (“Hamlet” 196-198). Hamlet is often seen as rude and overly controlling of Ophelia. He must retain power over her, and he does so by interrupting her and calling her names. He does not allow her to express everything she is feeling because he cuts her off and insults her. He transfers his anger about his mother’s remarriage towards Ophelia (Wagoner 3). Ophelia is pressured by both men in her life as Chapman states, “In act 3, Ophelia appears to think that cooperating with her father will help Hamlet’s madness and thus secure her future marriage. What she cannot predict is the fact that Hamlet will read that choice of loyalties as an unforgivable rejection of him” (5). The controlling men in her life lead to her death because she cannot handle the choice she makes, and she feels nothing else can help her. She feels awful about her father’s death and Hamlet’s rejection that she feels no one is around to help her, so she drowns herself after going mad. Likewise, Gertrude’s death is a result of the feud between Claudius and Hamlet. Gertrude experiences the pressure of Hamlet when he places the feeling of guilt on his mother because of her remarriage to his uncle Claudius. As Gertrude and Hamlet argue, Hamlet stabs Polonius behind the curtain, and Hamlet’s response is “A bloody deed? Almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother” (Shakespeare 3.4.29-30). Hamlet is comparing the terrible deed of killing Polonius to his mother remarrying her husband’s brother. Hamlet is alluding to the fact that he thinks she is involved with his father’s death. This attack hurts Gertrude because she does not want to make Hamlet upset. When she sees the cup of poisoned wine, she knows that Claudius wants to kill Hamlet, so she takes a sip of the wine. She does this before Hamlet has a chance, and she dies for him. This action shows the motherly devotion she has to Hamlet (“Hamlet” 203). With the deaths of Ophelia and Gertrude due to the pressures of men, one sees how the men have a major impact on their lives.

Lastly, the feelings of the women often go unnoticed; however, their feelings are important to show the reader insight from the perspective of the women. Even though Ophelia and Gertrude appear to not hold significant roles, they both are important to the plot of the play. Both women share their feelings privately, and the feelings they have go mostly unnoticed or unappreciated. Ophelia is indecisive and feels conflicted when choosing to be loyal to her father or Hamlet. She knows listening to her father means she has no future with Hamlet, and being with Hamlet goes against her father’s command. She does not know what to do but, ultimately, gives into her father’s wishes (Chapman 5). No one seems to notice Ophelia’s distress which leads to her feeling alone. Once Ophelia hears that her father is dead, she loses control of her own mind. Ophelia cannot handle her father’s death, and she begins to regret her decision to follow his wishes. She begins to feel alone and helpless since she no longer has Hamlet as well. The people do not offer her any help; instead, they just pity her (Sobran 97). Ultimately, she chooses to drown herself because she feels hopeless. Gertrude approves of Ophelia, and she thinks Ophelia is a good suitor for Hamlet. She is also sympathetic towards her and the troubles she goes through. Gertrude expresses her thoughts to Ophelia when she says, “And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish that your good beauties be the happy cause of Hamlet’s wildness. So shall I hope your virtues will bring him to his wonted way again, to both your honors” (Shakespeare 3.1.39-42). Gertrude wants the best for her son, and she sees politeness and loyalty as good qualities within Ophelia. She is the only character who openly tells Ophelia that she wishes the best for her. Gertrude is loyal to Hamlet at the end of the play when she drinks the poisoned wine to save him even though her feelings go unnoticed: “Gertrude’s conclusion is what it is because she has chosen, like Hamlet, to defy Claudius. She has further chosen to support her son and to drink the wine, and through her last words she continues to both perform and interpret the actions that flow from those choices” (Montgomery 8). Gertrude wants to protect her son because she loves him so much, and she is willing to give up her life for him. She does not want him to die from the setup Claudius has put in place. Through her actions, one sees her true feelings of loyalty and love for her son. Gertrude finds difficulty at first when deciding whom to be loyal to. She obeys Claudius for much of the beginning of the play, but later on, she turns her back on him. She feels less controlled and scared by him because she finds out that he kills her first husband. This realization leads her to favor Hamlet, and she begins to want to protect him (Montgomery 8). Through the feelings shown between Ophelia and Gertrude, one is able to better understand how women are treated during this time period, and their feelings give the reader a better insight from the perspective of the women as to how they are controlled by men.

Ophelia and Gertrude reflect the role of women in Shakespeare’s Hamlet through societal views, the struggle to balance their duties, the way men cause them to act in distrust or haste, and their feelings that go unnoticed. Society’s judgments portray Ophelia and Gertrude as weak and submissive. Ophelia is judged when she goes mad; meanwhile, Gertrude is judged for her new marriage being too soon after her husband’s death. Ophelia is stuck between listening to her father and trusting his words or choosing to stay with Hamlet. Her role is hard to fulfill because she has two demanding people to please. Gertrude also feels pressure to stand by her husband’s side and obey him; however, her love for Hamlet takes over. Her roles as wife and mother lead her to make tough decisions, but the greatest decision is choosing to take her life for Hamlet. The men are the reasoning for many of the heartaches Ophelia and Gertrude feel. They pressure the women to be loyal and submissive, but they demand too much of them. With thoughts of hopelessness, Ophelia drowns herself due to the pressure of her father’s death and Hamlet’s harsh words. Gertrude is guilted for her actions by her son; however, she still remains loyal to him at the expense of her own life. The feelings of each woman seem to go unnoticed by most of the characters simply because that is the way men view women’s feelings at this time. Ophelia is in obvious distress, but no one notices or is willing to help her. She is left to go mad and simultaneously be criticized for her actions. Gertrude’s feelings of love are shown by the way she cares for Hamlet. She wants the best for his life, and she sees Ophelia as a good wife for him. She is protective of Hamlet, and her greatest show of love is when she drinks the poison instead of letting Hamlet drink any and die. Ophelia and Gertrude face countless obstacles in the play, and they do not receive the attention they deserve. Both of them show the reader details one otherwise does not see. They bring a different perspective to the male characters who dominate the play, and they show strength and courage through their actions. Society constantly evolves through the years, and today the roles of women are not as strict and harsh as they used to be. Although some people may believe in the misogynistic ideals seen in the time period of Hamlet, women are now proving their capabilities in all aspects of life.

Works Cited

Chapman, Alison A. "Ophelia's 'Old Lauds': Madness and Hagiography in Hamlet." Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England, vol. 20, 2007, p. 1-13. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A169311540/LitRC?u=lap36mtcarmel&sid=LitRC&xid=327cbea9. Accessed 20 Oct. 2020.

"Hamlet." Shakespeare for Students: Critical Interpretations of Shakespeare's Plays and Poetry, edited by Anne Marie Hacht, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Gale, 2007, pp. 193-225. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2896100016/GVRL?u=lln_pstat&sid=GVRL&xid=393b7d2a. Accessed 19 Oct. 2020.

Montgomery, Abigail L. "Enter Queen Gertrude Stage Center: Re-viewing Gertrude as Full Participant and Active Interpreter in Hamlet." South Atlantic Review, vol. 74, no. 3, 2009, p. 1-9. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A301283615/LitRC?u=lap36mtcarmel&sid=LitRC&xid=c858d088. Accessed 15 Oct. 2020.

Sobran, Joseph. Hamlet. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2009, pp. 92-93, 96-97.

Wagoner, Michael M. "Ofelia's Interruption of Ophelia in Hamlet." Critical Survey, vol. 31, no. 1-2, 2019, p. 3-6. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A602462163/LitRC?u=lap36mtcarmel&sid=LitRC&xid=bb13e73c. Accessed 15 Oct. 2020.

Wenzel, Peter. “Word and Action in the Mad Scenes of Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” William Shakespeare: Tragedies, edited by Harold Bloom, Bloom’s Literary Criticism, 2010, pp. 148-149.