Everyone has a failing in their lives that can get the better of their lives. Some of the failings could be greed, choler, and depression. Failings can make issues, but can besides do people learn life lessons. In Shakespearean clip adult females were non allowed to play themselves on phase, and they were frequently seen as weak characters. In Shakespeare ‘s drama, the characters all have defects that finally lead to their deceases. Ophelia and Gertrude are two different adult females who seem to be trapped in the same fortunes. Therefore both Gertrude and Ophelia lack the thrust to be listened to and are hence seen as weak and delicate adult female.
Ophelia tends to follow the way of others and non stand up for herself. At the beginning of the drama, we see both Ophelia ‘s male parent and her brother talking her about her relationship with Hamlet. They talk about how she should n’t be with him and that they warn her there is no manner Hamlet will desire to get married her without his lone desire being sex. After an evident visit from a hard-pressed Hamlet, Ophelia says “ aˆ¦.as you did command, I did drive his letters and denied his entree to me ” ( 2.2.180-110 ) . Merely as her male parent told her, she rejected Hamlet. Hamlet evidently loved Ophelia, and all of a sudden, she rejects him. It gets even worse when she agrees to face Hamlet in forepart of Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonius, merely so they can detect Hamlet ‘s reaction. She gives Hamlet his letters back, which prompts Hamlet to state “ acquire thee to a nunnery ” ( 3.1.131 ) . In a nunnery adult females can non get married at all ; they can non be under the influence of work forces, or influence work forces in any manner. Hamlet feels that is where a adult female has a best opportunity at being faithful and where she will do the least sum of harm. She wo n’t hold kids intending she can non bear wicked kids like Claudius. Furthermore, Ophelia is non strong plenty to last entirely, and upon recognizing this, she calls her brother for aid and counsel. Polonius ‘s commanding mode is irrecoverable. Ophelia realizes that “ I would give you some violets / but they withered all when my male parent died… ” ( 4.5. 207-209 ) . Violets are known as a symbol of fidelity, this is why Ophelia says that the violets are gone because she feels betrayed that her male parent has left her even though it was n’t his mistake as he was killed by Hamlet. Violets besides mean forgiveness, which Ophelia does non experience compelled to make for Polonius. Polonius ‘s counsel has influenced Ophelia ‘s emotional growing and has merely allowed her to believe and experience what she is told to. Ophelia ‘s actions result in her being weak and unable to take her from the yesteryear and being capable of doing her ain determinations.
Gertrude is out by her fondness from work forces, every bit good as her inclination to utilize work forces to carry through her life, which of class makes her dependent upon them. Hamlet believes that Gertrude ‘s speedy matrimony to his uncle was a mark of her failing because it shows she could non stand to be entirely. He states that:
A small month, or ere those places were old
With which she followed my hapless male parent ‘s organic structure
Like Niobe, all tears-why she, even she
O God, a animal that wants discourse of ground
Would hold mourned longer! , married with my uncle ( 1.2.151-157 ) .
Hamlet is clearly angry that his female parent ‘s emotions were so weak. He wonders how she could rapidly get married her hubby ‘s brother after burying her hubby. Gertrude clearly ca n’t be by herself and invariably needs a adult male in her life to carry through that empty topographic point inside her. Gertrude throughout the drama is questioned about being immortal due to the adeptness of her matrimony. It seems as though she has no understanding towards the decease of her hubby and could non wait to leap into another matrimony with Claudius. Hamlet realizes this and says “ O, most wicked velocity, to post/ with such sleight to incestuous sheets! ” ( 1.2.161-132 ) . Hamlet has a job with his female parent ‘s gender. It ‘s non that he ‘s disgusted by Gertrude ‘s matrimony to Claudius, but the fact that he ca n’t stand to believe she is holding sex. Although it is rather clear that Gertrude is weak and relies on Claudius to do her happy, she does non recognize how much it has affected Hamlet. He does non merely lose regard for his female parent and his uncle, but begins to doubt his female parent ‘s anterior love for his male parent. In decision, Gertrude demonstrates similar failing traits to Ophelia by allowing the work forces in the drama have a immense impact on the manner the she think.
In Hamlet, the adult females play little functions in portraying their historical position. Although Gertrude is the Queen and Ophelia is the prince ‘s lover, their voices are ne’er heard and their actions are influenced by the work forces. Although Gertrude and Ophelia are non good developed throughout the drama, their actions, linguistic communication and influence portray them as the type of adult females that are invariably trusting on work forces doing them frail human existences.
