Analyzing Hamlet

        I want to write a bit more about Hamlet, since I feel as though I have somewhat ignored this play in comparison to the others. More particularly, I want to take a closer look at Hamlet’s relationship with the main or key female figures of the play, the Queen of Denmark (Gertrude) and Polonius’s daughter, Ophelia.

       At the start of the play, the Ghost presents Hamlet with the information that his mother has married his father's murderer (his father's own brother). This information provides an internal conflict for Hamlet, as he sees his mother from both the loving son and the loving husband’s point of view (since he carries out his father’s reaction), in addition to seeing her as a betrayer. In other words, Hamlet sees his mother as both a loved and loathed woman that resides inside one body; her quick marriage to his uncle obviously fuels this loathing for her. Just as he cannot separate his mother from Ophelia, he is unable to separate the mother he loves from the mother he loathes.

       What's interesting is to analyze Hamlet's actions and treatment towards women throughout the play. For instance, it appears that Hamlet is unable to separate Ophelia from his mother (the Queen). In the play, he accuses Ophelia of possessing the same treacherous nature as his mother. This sense of blame and rejection seemingly comes from the simple fact that she’s female. Not only is he disappointed in his mother for quickly marrying his father’s killer, he denies Ophelia—a woman he once claimed to love. His denial of her truth reminds me of Lear’s rejection of Cordelia’s honesty and Leontes’ denial of Hermione’s innocence (her transparent language). In general, we have seen, throughout Shakespeare’s plays (and through the words of these men), the major male leads’ distrust of women. On the mythic plane, Hamlet ultimately destroys Ophelia as he desperately attempts, in the real plane/realm, to sever his ties to her. Furthermore, the Ghost’s information has seemingly driven a type of madness in Hamlet. Eventually, he sees his beloved mother as actually a remorseless Queen, and comes to view Ophelia in a similar light. This madness is also induced by his need to kill the new king, his uncle (King Claudius). At various times in the play, Hamlet seems to contemplate his own death and even suicide. And unfortunately for Cordelia, her madness seems to spur out of Hamlet’s mistreatment of her.

       Unlike Hamlet’s end, Cordelia’s death seems to be that of suicide. Ophelia herself seems to represent human frailty. Her cut and wilting flowers symbolize her helplessness (all of which is conveyed through song, seen drowning around her, or placed on her grave). Similar to King Lear, what we have in this tragedy is the idea of human cost—the currency of what the heart is forced to pay. Overall, it’s interesting to see how lies, mistrust, and doubt, operate within Shakespeare’s plays, in addition to what these things say about humanity (or how they elevate or tear down humanity).