WRITTEN TASK 2

Question: How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?

Text: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Focus: How and why are is the role of women in the 17th century presented through
the character of Ophelia?
Outline
This essay focuses on the portrayal of Ophelia by William Shakespeare and how the
play reflects the society of the 17th century.
William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” or originally named “ The Tragedy of Hamlet,
Prince of Denmark” is a tragedy written in the 17th century in England, London. The
play tackles transcendental themes concerning human kind, for instance fear of
death, corruption, and also illustrates the ideology and morals behind Elizabethan
Times.

Talk about gender inequality

“Hamlet” or originally named “The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denamark”,written
by William Shakespeare in the 17th century, is one of the most ambiguous and famous
plays out staged. Shakespearean’s creations are known for tackling themes
concerning human kind; for instance this play deals with themes of fear of death,
corruption and also reflects the general role of women in Elizabethan Times.
Therefore Ophelia’s character could be viewed as a representative of the status that
women occupied in the 17th century and the values they were expected to have. That
being said, William Shakespeare portrays women’s dependence on men, their sinner
nature, (hablar de chastity, virginity and honour.), their vulnerability and lastly the
importance of remaining chaste. should remain their honor untached. Obeyal
inferiority

During the time of William Shakespeare, the majority of women had very limited
rights in England. Despite the fact that England was ruled by a female monarch for
over four decades, most women had little power over the direction of their lives.
Most writings about the life of the family during this time in history centered around
the traditional partriarchal paradigm--that of "domination and submission." Just as
the kingdom was ruled by a monarch, the father and head of the household ruled
over his wife and children.

Through, depicting Ophelia’s lack of freewill and obedient nature, Shakespeare is

highlighting how women in Elithabethian times belonged to their fathers or their
brothers, in this case Laertes and Polonius which guided her though her decisions.
Polonius and Laertes were the ones who convinced Ophelia on leaving Hamlet. They
told her to “hold it a fashion and a toy in blood”, in other words to not consider their
supposedly rising relationship seriously. The word fashion exemplifies it would not
last similarly to fashion which has a changing and ephemeral nature. While Polonius
tell her she does “not understand yourself so clearly” and subsequently not to “give
words or talk with Lord Hamlet” which Ophelia responds “I shall obey, my lord”. In
this passage Ophelia subjects herself to Polonius and Laertes which insists on leaving
Hamlet even tough she clearly likes him (poner una quote”)portraying her
depeandance on men to take decisions. This behavior is seen throughout the play.
Furthermore Polonious explicity recalls on Ophelia being of her property in the line
“I’will losse my daughter to him” in this possessive commentary, he is objectifying
Ophelia by treating her as trophy or some sort of object. The repetition of how her
daughter shows “her duty and obedience”, is not only depicting her father’s
controlling nature but Ophelia’s obident nature and its dependence.
“she took the fruit of my advice”
(separar obideint nature con dependence)

Secondly, William Sahkespere portrays Ophelia’s dependence on men when she

hysterically went delusional by speaking things with “half sense” after Polonious
death and Hamlet telling her she is not in love (quote). Ophelia speaks “much of her
father”, which the audoience may interpret as the trigger to her irrational behavior.
Which may imply that after her father’s death she has nor judgement neither …
However, her lunacy was a changing point in Ophelia’s character as her submissive
predisposition changed into a more obstinate behavior as she criticizes how men
treat women …… (quote. In Shakespearean times women were not allowed to speak
freely as they were consider a threat to the public and were humiliated and abused.
Therefore, the fact that Shakespeare decided to unfold Ophelia’s character in a way
that what she is saying does not have importance or rationality, it is portraying the
role women had in the 17th century was significantly inferior than men.

An important point explored throughout the play is the sinner nature Women
have according to Shakespeare. Which it is explored by the sexist point of view of the
male characters particularly Prince Hamlet, along with Ophelia’s suicide. He
generalizes while arguing to Ophelia she and all women are “ breeder of sinners”.
That phrase is clearly portraying women as the ones to blame as they are the ones to
give birth to a child. Moreover, this phrase emphasizes the view point Shakespeare
had of women. Furthermore, he states that women make “monsters” of men, which
alludes to the common belief that women who cheated on their husbands grew
horns. Finally, Hamlet addresses the makeup women use as a metaphor to portray
how perjurer they are. As well ,Shakespeare criticizes how women are not embracing
the face God gave her yet “they make yourselves another” depicting women against
God and unfaithful.
Additionally, Ophelia’s suicide in the 17th century was seen as a sin against
God and perpetrators of a criminal offense. Which in that case it characterizes
Ophelia as a sinner and a criminal. Moreover, Ophelia is portrayed by William
Shakespeare as weak, connecting it to the soliloquy in which Hamlet debates upon
“to be or not to be” in which he metaphorically states that the ones who kill
themselves are giving up and it is way more easier to do so.

To sum up Shakespere’s play Hamlet reflects the gender inequality which

subsisted in the 17th century. For instance, how were they expected to act, the poor
role they play upon society and their vulnerability. In reality, although it may differ
in some aspects the role women occupies in society, social inequality still persists
nowadays.

https://genius.com/3354247

However this

Laertes saw her as an angel. Polonious as naive

In Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”, Ophelia’s character could be viewed as

representative of the morals and principals people had of women in England in the
17th and the role they occupied.

In Elizabethan times women belonged to their fathers or their brothers, in this case
Laertes and Polonious were the ones that control and guided her. Furthermore the
themes worship of virginity and honor are recurrent throughout the play through
men. .. Finally the change in Ophelia’s character nature after she was considered
“insane (look for a quote)

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z2wp34j/revision/3
Gender roles
The famous play “Hamlet” or originally named “ The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of
Denmark” was written by William Shakespere in the 17th century.
Although this tragedy was written in the 17TH century, Shakespere tackles
transcendental themes concerning human kind.
Any text of Literature shows the ideology behind and reflects what was happening in
their context at those times.
Talk about how were woemne portrayed in England at that time

Hamlet is consider one of the most influential literature pieces, written by the
English poet William Shakespeare in the 17th.