Hamlet and the Patriarchy

 Hamlet once again displays the patriarchal movement of a man controlled society where women are seen as frail in comparison. In relation to the times of Shakespeare’s life women were viewed as the weaker sex. Dominated by a male species women were seen as unfit for lead roles. They were the picture of innocence and unable to adopt an identity separate from the male figures in their lives. Ophelia represents the picture perfect image of the eternal virgin with the purpose of duty to the men in her life. She sways back and forth from obedience towards her father and brother to her possible love for Hamlet, unable to choose the man that fully identifies her role. Her entire role in Shakespeare’s play is to be a pawn in others lives as her life is controlled by the commands of the men in her life. Not only is she torn between Hamlet and being obedient to her father, but she is physically used as bait to test Hamlets mentality. In comparison Hamlets mother, the Queen, Gertrude embodies the role of a woman’s reliance on men as she seemingly deems herself morally unethical. Gertrude’s choices are a result of her large dependency on the men in her life for self preservation. As she quickly moves from the kings death to Hamlets uncle Claudius she grasps to who holds the power charming them in order to save herself. Both women in Hamlet are dependent on the men in their lives and due to the patriarchy at the time are unable to separate themselves in order to hold true to their own power. Unwittingly the only power they hold is the degrees of beauty and feminine characteristics they posses in order to be given a place in the kingdom. Ophelia and Gertrude’s only way of survival is by complying with the patriarchy. The degrees of masculinity versus femininity is illuminated throughout the course of the play as each individual settles into their role unable to break from its boundaries.