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Gertrude and Ophelia are two of Hamlet ’s most misunderstood—and underdeveloped—characters. Hamlet himself rails against each of them separately, for very different reasons, in misogynistic rants which accuse women of being sly seductresses, pretenders, and lustful schemers.
- Poison, Corruption, Death
When the sentinel Marcellus speaks the line “Something is...
- Religion, Honor, and Revenge
Every society is defined by its codes of conduct—its rules...
- Action and Inaction
Hamlet is part of a literary tradition called the revenge...
- Appearance Vs. Reality
Hamlet is full of references to the wide gulf that often...
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- Poison, Corruption, Death
Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet frequently speak to her in either an infantilizing or sexualizing manner, and the diametrically opposed nature of these approaches highlights just how difficult life as a woman in the court can be.
27 lip 2021 · The women of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” appear to be frail, passive figures used as pawns and dying prematurely after the mistreatment of men. However, there is more to Gertrude and Ophelia than meets the eye.
10 sty 2020 · Discover the role and significance of each key character in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.
Need help on characters in William Shakespeare's Hamlet? Check out our detailed character descriptions. From the creators of SparkNotes.
Understand every line of Hamlet. Read our modern English translation. Polonius ’s daughter, Laertes ’ sister, and Hamlet ’s lover. Along with Gertrude, Ophelia is the only other female character in the play, Ophelia’s actions and trajectory are unfortunately defined by the men around her.
Polonius’s daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. Ophelia is a sweet and innocent young girl, who obeys her father and her brother, Laertes. Dependent on men to tell her how to behave, she gives in to Polonius’s schemes to spy on Hamlet.