How do Shakespeares books play into gender roles?

By: Natalia Rodriguez

Hamlet published by William Shakespeare in the 1600's follows the events of Hamlet's life after his father's murder. Hamlet is a young man who is deeply troubled and faces great emotional turmoil. His most prominent relationships are with his mother Gertude and his girlfriend Ophelia. In this tragedy Hamlet has many meaningful but also objectifying encounters with these women and they come to be symbols as victims of the patriarchy. Ultimately, Hamlet, Ophelia, and Gertrude die. Shakespeare critiques the gender roles of early Elizabethan society to underscore the challenges women face in a patriarchal world. He uses Ophelia and Gertrudes life and death as well as men's treatment of women in the play to demonstrate the devastating effects of objectification. 

Shakespeare uses Ophelia to show how women are shackled by the patriarchy and never able to truly become their own person. Polonius, Opehlias father says, "I have a daughter( I have her until she gets married)"(Shakespeare 95). This quote illustrates the rigid gender roles and patriarchal values of Elizabethan society. Shakspeare uses this dynamic to critique the exploitation of women specifically during this time period. Polonius treats Ophelia as his property, often using her as a tool for his own interests, such as spying on Hamlet. She is conflicted between the two men in her life. Polonius cares more about the king's opinion of him and how he can gain favor with him than his own daughter's wants and needs. Ophelia must go along with it and submit because after all he is her father and daughters were and still are expected to obey their fathers without question. Shakespeare is able to allude to a problem in today's society where women are expected to prioritize male obedience over their own desires. Ophelia's life is prominent when viewing Hamlet through a gendered lense but so is her death. Gertrude enters the room in which Caldius and Laertes are discussing and solemnly states, "Her clothes spread out wide in the water, and buoyed her up for a whole as she sang bits of old hymns… They absorbed pulling the poor thing out of her song, down into the mud"(Shakespeare 271). Ophelia drowns herself while collecting thistles by the river. While her death is a suicide, it can also be interpreted as a form of liberation- her first and only true choice for herself. Her father died and Hamlet was absent; she doesn't know how to navigate her life without a man. This is her final defining act and it may seem as weakness when in fact it is one of strength. She was able to control her death despite having no real control over any other aspect of her life. She saw no escape from the restraints of the patriarchy and so she decided the only way to escape it was to escape the world itself. Shakespeare does this to demonstrate the devastating effects of the patriarchy and the difficulties that women face with self esteem and an image separate from that of a man. Through Ophelia's life and tragic death Shakespeare underscores the destructive effects of the patriarchy on a woman's individuality. 

Shakespeare uses Gertrude as a symbol of feminism and strength but also to show the dismissal of women during this time. When Hamlet walks in on his stepfather praying he overhears him saying, "I'm still reaping the rewards of that murder:my crown and my queen"(Shakespeare 191). Claudius murdered his brother, King Hamlet, and married Gertrude, gaining both the throne and the queen as rewards. Claudius begs for forgiveness but he sees Gertrude as a benefit of his actions. This parallels Ophelia in that it shows extreme objectification. Gertrude is constantly dismissed throughout the novel and merely an object for Cladius's sexual pleasure. Shakespeare uses this to show Cladius's flawed character and to point out how women were seen as worthless beyond their beauty and ability to serve a man. Similar to Ophelia's death, Gertrude's death was extremely significant and contributed greatly to ideas of the patriarchy. She was cheering on Hamlet when she went to take a sip of a poisoned drink. Her husband Claudius warned her against it but she said, "Excuse me. I'll drink if I like… No,no,no the drink, the drink! Oh, my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I've been poisoned"(Shakespeare 329). Cladius poisoned a drink intended for his stepson Hamlet, Gertrude ended up drinking it. She seals her fate. Many may view this action as stupid but it is a direct opposition to the patriarchy. She demonstrates her autonomy and parallels Ophelia in that she performs her final act. The only thing she controlled in life was death. This is a permanent act and also allowed Gertrude to embrace her motherly nature. It can be argued that Gertrute knew the drink was poisoned and drank it to save her son thus embracing her feminism and role as a mother. Shakeaspere uses Gertrude's death to critique the patriarchy and how women, even in their final moments, can reclaim control in a life where they had little agency. In death Gertrude mirrors the countless women who have fought for their autonomy in a world that seeks to diminish them. 

Hamlet constantly disregards the two women in his life, reducing them to nothing. When speaking to his mother he exclaims, "Frailty, thy name is woman"(Shakeapere 28)! Hamlet's opinion on women demonstrates toxic masculinity and the suppressive role of the patriarchy. He enters his mother chamber and begins screaming at her calling her weak for remarrying. He has no consideration for his mothers feelings about King Hamlet's death. All his anger was channeled at Gertrude when she was truly the victim here. She was taken advantage of at her weakest and lowest point. Shakespeare uses Hamlet's harsh criticism of Gertrude to expose the destructive effects of toxic masculinity. By condemning Gertrude's actions and viewing her through the lens of weakness, Hamlet reflects a societal norm where women's actions are often scrutinized and judged more harshly than men's. Not only does Hamlet criticize his own mother but also his girlfriend Ophelia saying, "Sure, since beauty's power can more easily change a good girl into a whore than the power of goodness can change a beautiful girl into a virgin"(Shakespeare 14). Shakeaspre uses Hamlet to express his opinions on women's purity. He scrutinizes them and refers to them as impure. While speaking to his girlfriend Ophelia, Hamlet becomes enraged and demands she goes to a nunnery.He has no regard for women and reduces them to two categories, a slut or a virgin. Shakespeare uses this quote to allude to the double standard women face in the real world and how society inflicts expectations on women that men are not subject to. 

Shakespeare critiques the gender roles of early Elizabethan society to highlight the struggles women face in a patriarchal world. Through the lives and deaths of Ophelia and Gertrude, as well as the treatment of women by men in the play, he illustrates the issues of limitations imposed on women. Ophelia is used as an object by Polonius and Gertrude is used by Cladius. They both die in arguable suicides and they are both belittled and shamed by Hamlet. Shakespeare's portrayal of Ophelia of Gertrude underscores a deeper truth: women are so much more important than what they are objectified to be.  

Shakespeare’s Hamlet may be centuries old, but the struggles of Ophelia and Gertrude still resonate today. Women continue to face objectification, double standards, and the weight of societal expectations. If you’ve ever felt unheard, reduced to a label, or forced into a role you didn’t choose—know that you are not alone. Their stories remind us that even in the face of oppression, there is strength in resistance, and there is power in reclaiming your own narrative. The fight against the patriarchy didn’t end with them, and it doesn’t end with us. Keep questioning, keep pushing back, and most importantly—keep existing loudly.