Gender Flashcards
Sister {Claudius}
‘Our sometimes sister, now our Queen’ 1.2.8
This is a clear of indication of Gertrude maintaining her position as Queen throughout the change in ruler, indicating her ability to preserve her power, and perhaps suggesting a cunning nature, similar to Claudius is this aspect - perhaps it is implied that to be in power, a manipulative attitude is required, again indicating a Machiavellian ruler who places politics above morals. However, it may also be alluded that a female can only be in power through the aid of men, as Gertrude’s status is maintained through her marriage to Old Hamlet first, and then to Claudius - this dependence on men portrays the patriarchal society of the Elizabethan era, which places women below men in the chain of command.
Frailty {Hamlet}
‘Frailty, thy name is woman’ 1.1.46
This represents the standard misogynistic attitude of the Elizabethan period, where women were considered weak, and below men in the chain of command. Hamlet refuses to face the reality of his mother, denouncing her swift remarriage and the possibility of her desire, something discouraged of women at the time, by generalizing all women as being weak in character.
Treasure {Laertes}
‘Your chaste treasure open’ 1.3.30
Laertes, instantly assuming Ophelia to be a virgin, warns her about the perils of losing her virginity. He refers to her chastity as a ‘treasure’, a prize even, expressing how a woman’s value was determined by her status as a maiden in the Elizabethan period. This concept objectifies women, indicating the subservient nature expected of them in the 1600s.
Truth {Polonius}
Obey {Ophelia} {Hamlet}
‘Give me up the truth’ 1.3.95
‘I shall obey, my lord’ 1.3.135
‘I shall in all my best obey you’ 1.2.120
Polonius’ use of the imperative highlights the chain of command within the family, with Ophelia at the bottom, being a female - this is symbolic of the chain of command in the Elizabethan period, with women below men. Despite promising Laertes that she would not tell Polonius, she is forced to ‘obey’, demonstrating her lack of choice, and in turn reflecting the patriarchal society of the time where women were forced to be subservient. In juxtaposition, Hamlet replies ‘I shall in all my best obey you’ to his mother, showing that he actually has a choice, and while agreeing to attempt to follow through on her plea, Ophelia is forced to carry out Polonius’ command.
Think {Ophelia}
‘I do not know my lord, what I should think’ 1.3.103
Other than presenting Ophelia’s conflicting feelings, this indicates her inability to be able to ‘think’ for herself, and so demonstrates her need for a man to tell her what to do - this dependence on men was characteristic for females at the time, as they were forced to be subservient. Again, this juxtaposes with Hamlet’s character, by highlighting his tendency to overthink, in contrast to Ophelia’s inability to have a voice of her own, even in her mind. In this sense, Ophelia is merely a foil character, simply there to aid Hamlet.
Whore {Hamlet}
‘Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words and fall a-cursing, like a very drab’ 2.2.521
Hamlet’s comparison of his verbal and deedless delay to the impotent anger of a prostitute sets up a link between his entire period of inactivity, and womanish wordiness - this portrays a view that his weakness in prolonging his duty is a womanly train, showing that women were characterized as being inadequate and feeble. This is a contrast to one dimensional emblems of masculinity such as Laertes, with his immediate quest for vengeance, and the aptly named Fortinbras, meaning strong-in-arm.
Honest {Hamlet}
‘For the power of Beauty will sooner transform Honesty from what it is to a bawd’ 3.1.110
Beauty and chastity, or in this case honesty, were conventionally valued as the most important qualities in women, although they were often seen as being incompatible, as demonstrated by the quote - this indicates the double standards placed on a women in the Elizabethan period. Hamlet may be implying that sex, indicated by beauty and therefore desire, is a commercial transaction that changes a chaste person, represented by honesty, into a ‘bawd’, and as chastity was valued in a woman and sexual encounters discouraged, Hamlet indicates that this double standard only applies to women. Hamlet then uses male pronouns for ‘Honesty’, suggesting it is a male trait and therefore generalizing women as liars. By using abstract personification, a comparison can be made between the two qualities, and perhaps even the genders that each characteristic apparently embodies. Hamlet’s quest for the truth is indicated to be difficult against ‘Beauty’, otherwise symbolizing appearances, and perhaps women - this suggests that Gertrude and Ophelia are not to be trusted, simply because they are women.
Nunnery {Hamlet}
‘Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?’ 3.1.120
By condemning her as a harlot who belongs in a convent, he may be expressing pent-up anger regarding his mother’s unfaithfulness, and this indicates that women’s sexuality was seen in a negative light - in a ‘nunnery’, there would be no influence over men, implying it as the only way for women to be faithful. While an alternative interpretation might consider Hamlet protecting Ophelia from ‘arrant knaves’, Hamlet may instead be blaming women’s sexual desires and dishonesty as a cause for men’s sins: he may be invoking the Christian idea that all human’s are born with Original Sin as a result of Eve giving into temptation (‘breeder of sinners’), and so blames all women for supposedly leading men to sin - after all, Hamlet is killing Claudius’ partly for his apparent seduction of Gertrude.
How {Polonius}
‘How now, Ophelia? You need not tell us what lord Hamlet said’ 3.1.177
These lines could be performed to express Polonius’ kindness by sparing Ophelia the pain of having to recount her experience, however they may alternatively be delivered in a cruel manner, dismissing her pain without further thought to highlight the patriarchal society of the time, and the abuse women suffered - this could further push Ophelia into her inevitable madness, showing her restriction, and the damage she suffers emotionally.
Methinks {Gertrude}
‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks’ 3.2.224
Ironically, the Queen judges her own character in a negative light, perhaps adding some comic relief to the play in her utter ignorance, and yet there is an indication of the Queen’s darker nature - the real character of Gertrude is colder, perhaps more heartless and gives in more easily to Claudius than the Queen in the play within a play does. This appears to contrast with the typical feeble, weak Elizabethan woman, in that Gertrude’s decisions appear self-motivated, suggesting her to be independent. Yet, it may alternatively indicate that Gertrude gives in to men, depending on them and is subservient - she didn’t protest a great deal to Claudius, showing his power over her, which is conventional of an Elizabethan woman.
Matron {Hamlet}
Lap {Hamlet}
Youth {Laertes}
Stay {Laertes}
‘Rebellious hell, if thou canst mutine in a matron’s bones, to flaming youth let virtue be as wax and melt in her own fire’ 3.4.80
‘Lady, shall I lie in your lap?’ 3.2.110
‘Youth to itself rebels, though none else near’ 1.3.43
‘I stay too long’ 1.3.51
Hamlet’s description of lust as a ‘rebellious hell’ invokes the concept of it being unnatural, perhaps even evil, further using the metaphor of it being an infection in her old bones to suggest that she should be made off sterner stuff and resist her desires, especially as she is a woman - by suggesting that the cool constitution of a matron is so vulnerable to lust, he expresses that virtue is as weak and pliable as ‘wax’, instantly melting in the flames of youthful passion; by exaggerating the perils of lust he represents the harsh expectations of women to not feel, or act on, their desire. This is a clear echo of Laertes’ warning to Ophelia regarding the supposedly volatile passions of youth, and yet he himself appears impatient when Ophelia attempts to warn him against the same thing, refusing to face what he sees as the beginning of a moral lecture. Just as Hamlet’s suggestive implications to Ophelia show his disregard for propriety, the blatantly insulting remark going unpunished, Laertes refuses to face his own misdemeanor’s, demonstrating the double standards, and unfair expectations, for women in the Elizabethan era.
Wed {Ophelia}
‘Before you tumbled me you promised me to wed’ 4.5.61
‘thou hadst not come to my bed’ 4.5.65
In her madness, Ophelia’s telling songs reveal the double standards expected of women, with a man responding that he would have married a girl had she not come to his bed, and lost her virginity - it is the girl’s maidenhood in question, and the blame and consequences fall solely on her, demonstrating the importance of chastity in the Elizabethan era. This indicates that Ophelia’s madness may be the result of a lover, not just her father’s death, and therefore demonstrates the detrimental consequences of the expectations placed on women at the time - in fact, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Ophelia was often dressed in white, perhaps highlighting a view of her as a forsaken would-be-bride, and the dangerous outcome if a woman was unable to achieve her full potential as a bride - if the circumstances of the song is a reality for Ophelia, then this may be the cause of her madness, showing the destructive restrictions on women.
Drink {King}
‘Gertrude, do not drink’
‘I will, my lord’ 5.2.273
The King, with his feeble attempt at preventing Gertrude from drinking, allows the Queen to die rather than risk exposure - while this may highlight the King’s cruel nature, it also suggests that women aren’t all that important to men, especially if risking their power and status. After all, Queen Elizabeth didn’t marry for a similar reason, aware that her husband would be in control instead of her, and the play reflect’s this chain of command at the time. It is interesting that Gertrude defies the King here, ignoring his direct command - the fact that she dies after, may be an implication that disobeying men leads to a woman’s destruction, and this interpretation may be echoed in Olivier’s 1948 film version, where it is made abundantly clear that she is drinking the poison, as if suggesting that she caused her own death going against her husband - poison was seen as a woman’s weapon, after all. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Queen’s lines were often altered onstage to ‘I have, my lord’, presumably to make it apologetic, rather than defiant - this suggests that the very thought of a disobedient wife wasn’t considered.
