Ophelia Character Analysis (Hamlet Essay Sample)

In Hamlet, Shakespeare depicts women as weak and obedient through the character, Ophelia, the naive daughter of Polonius. Hence, the play reveals Ophelia as a helpless girl searching for Hamlet's love and validation. Nonetheless, Ophelia confronted her father, Polonius, about her love for Hamlet. After Ophelia notified Polonius that Hamlet gave her affection, he said, “Affection? Pooh! You speak like a green girl” (Act 1, scene 3, line 101). Polonius criticized his daughter for not being womanly enough for a man. Then, Polonius hurt Ophelia’s confidence and her feelings for Hamlet. Ophelia needed guidance from her father, and he took away her ability to communicate with Hamlet. Shakespeare reveals throughout Hamlet that women are incapable of speaking for themselves. After their conversation about Ophelia’s love for Hamlet, Ophelia says to Polonius, “I shall obey, my lord” (Act 1, scene 3, line 136). Likewise, Ophelia obeying her father shows the normalization of men influencing women's daily actions. Ophelia felt pressured to listen and respect Polonius' message to stop speaking to Hamlet. Also, Polonius expects control over his daughter and to feel powerful. In the Middle Ages, men never treated women with respect and underestimated them. Throughout Ophelia's life, Polonius craves control over her because he assumes that she is not powerful enough to make decisions.

Hamlet demonstrates women as dependent on men through Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. Gertrude married King Hamlet until he passed away from a snakebite. However, a month after King Hamlet's death Gertrude married his brother, King Claudius. Gertrude's actions infuriate Hamlet, and he says to himself, “… frailty, thy name is a woman” (Act 1, scene 2, line 146). Hamlet expressed that women are significantly weaker than men, and Gertrude is disgusting for marrying Claudius. Hamlet believes Gertrude is dependent on men and depends on a man to live a fortunate life. Also, Hamlet sees Gertrude as unstable because she did not think about the consequences of her actions. After Hamlet's conversation with his mother, he said to himself, “Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him/ As if an increase of appetite had grown” (Act 1, scene 2, lines 147-148). Hamlet implied that women move on quickly and need men to gain wealth and power. Shakespeare portrays Gertrude as dependent on men because she could not find independence after King Hamlet's death. Gertrude relies on her actions, causing her to behave irresponsible and inconsiderate toward Hamlet. Shakespeare shows in Hamlet that women rely on men and need them to live through Hamlet’s words about Gertrude.