Ofir Ravin Gertrude and Ophelias Feminist Approach A. William Shakespeares Hamlet B.

Written in the 16th or 17th century, in England C. Set in the kingdom of Denmark D. Feminist approach Throughout William Shakespeares Hamlet, women are portrayed as puppets by the hands of the influential men, to connive and hurt. Not only are they seen unable to fend for themselves but seem to have betrayed Hamlet. From the time of his fathers death, Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother, Gertrude, as she quickly remarried Hamlet seniors brother, Claudius. It seems to him as though they were not important to her, and without flinching or thinking of what was best for him, married him A beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer (1.2.150-151). Hamlet wanted to be the next king, as he was the heir to the throne, but instead as she married Claudius, she gave away his rights. Throughout the play she is seen multiple times siding with Claudius, and trying to reason with Hamlet in favor of Claudius. Later on even sends him to England where she knows Claudius had set up a trap to murder hamlet yet does not stop or warn him. Ophelia on the other hand is a puppet to her father, as he was to Claudius. Polonius used Ophelia to get information about Hamlet. She was made to lure in Hamlet so that he could be spied on. Hamlet reveals his beliefs that women are scheming creatures who feign ignorance in order to pursue their own agenda, when he talks to her in Act 3 when he says she has two faces, proving his point that women cannot be trusted, even the ones you love. Both women in the play are considered the property of the men. Gertrude only used to get the throne, and Claudiuss desires. While Ophelia was being pawned around as a commodity for her virginity, Hamlet multiple times brings up the fact that she is to be a virgin, and must be kept that way. Both

women are seen less than equal throughout the play, and have tragic endings, each accidental. Although both were plots of murder to stop another man, Ophelia was murdered by Gertrude as she was intruding on her life, and plans to get rid of Hamlet, and Gertrudes death came by accident as unknowingly drank the poison intended for Hamlet.