Femininity in the Patriarchal Discourse: Hamlet ’ s Ophelia

Women in England during Shakespeare’s Time Had very limited rights: they were denied formal education and the chance to hold public office or other professions such as law, medicine, etc. Childbearing was considered a great honor Common belief that women always needed someone to look after them No woman could vote. Although denied a formal education, many women of this time period were highly educated due to the use of private tutors. Single women often accused of being witches/looked upon with suspicion Women were encouraged to write literature, mainly religious works.

Double Standards Hamlet ‘ s past can be read through his father, his education, and his relationship with his friends Recent feminist critics see the lack of Ophelia ’ s past as representative of a double standard “ We can imagine Hamlet ’ s story without Ophelia, but Ophelia literally has no story without Hamlet. ” In Act 1 Scene 3, Polonius sends Laertes off urging him to use his judgment and learn through error But he does not put that trust in Ophelia ’ s conviction of Hamlet ’ s love Polonius to Ophelia: “ Affection, puh! You speak like a green girl…think yourself a baby That you have ta ’ en these tenders for true pay, which are not sterling… ” Ophelia was never given the chance to develop an independent conscience “ …stifled is she by the authority of the male world. ”

Femininity Through Insanity “ Whereas madness for Hamlet is metaphysical, linked with culture, for Ophelia it is a product of the female body and female nature, perhaps that nature ’ s purest form. ” Ophelia dresses in white, decks herself with “ fantastical garlands ” of wild flowers and enters “ distracted, ” playing a lute, with her hair down, singing. Femininity is displayed through apparent absent-mindedness

Femininity Through Insanity Speech marked by extravagant metaphors, lyrical free associations and “ explosive sexual imagery. ” Ophelia: “ You sing ‘ A-down a-down ’ – and you ‘ Call him a down-a. ’ O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward that stole his master ’ s daughter. ” Laertes: “ This nothing ’ s more than matter. ” (217) Laertes is saying that this nonsense speaks more eloquently than serious speech –Feminine = eloquent, yet incoherent.

Femininity Through Insanity “ Optimistically, Ophelia ’ s madness offers the capability of speech, the opportunity to discover individual identity, and the power to verbally undermine authority. Her words still suggest a fragmented self and provide others the opportunity to manipulate meanings that best suit them.

Femininity Through Insanity Ophelia initially appears “ shaped to conform to external demands, to reflect others desires ” (406): she is Laertes ’ “ angel, ” Polonius ’ “ commodity ” (407), and Hamlet ’ s “ spectre of his psychic fears ” (410). While the conflicting messages from these male/masculine sources damage Ophelia ’ s psychological identity, their sudden absence provokes her mental destruction. Ophelia is objectified by the other characters in the play, becomes a more of a possession than a character. Mental deterioration is equated with individual identity in a woman.

“ The division of space between Ophelia and the natural details Millais had so painstakingly pursued reduces her to one more visual object; and the painting had such a hard surface, strangely flattened perspective, and brilliant light that it seems cruelly indifferent to the woman ’ s death. ”

Femininity Through Fluidity As we all know, Ophelia kills herself by drowning –Accidental - Act 4. Sc. 7, “ Clamb ’ ring to hang, an envious sliver broke, When down her weedy trophies and herself fell in the weeping brook. ” –Merely an afterthought, “ One woe doth thread upon another ’ s heel, So fast they follow. Your sister ’ s drowned, Laertes. ” –Conscious - Act 5. Sc. 1, “ If I drown myself wittingly… ”

Femininity Through Fluidity Water is the ultimate material associated with cleansing. –Purification, ablution, baptism in Christianity –Generally, a body is washed and dressed before burial - it ’ s an important aspect of charitable care for the departed. By means of drowning, Ophelia is seemingly neglected by the family, washes herself). –Sexual, emotional cleansing

Femininity Through Fluidity Feminine fluidity contrasts masculine aridity. –Elements of water associated with the woman: tears, blood, milk. –Water - an essential element of life –Laertes contrasts Ophelia ’ s response to Polonius ’ death; Ophelia drowns, Laertes fights. Act 4. Sc. 7 “ Too much of water hast though, poor Ophelia, And therefore I forbid my tears. ” Act 4. Sc. 5 “ I cannot choose but weep to think they would lay him I ’ th ’ cold ground. ”

Femininity Through Fluidity Drowning is considered a very feminine way of dying. –“ One which is a beautiful immersion and submersion in the female element. ” Act 4. Sc. 7 “ And one incapable of her own distress Or like a creature native and endued Unto that element. ”

Femininity Through Fluidity Ophelia differs from other famous women of the water (Venus rises from the sea at her birth, Ophelia ends and stays in the sea) Never receives a dignified death; by drowning, her ashes won ’ t mix with those noble men; being a woman, she is insignificant. Even when she is to be properly buried, Act. 5, Sc. 1, “ Is she to be buried in Christian burial, when she willfully seeks her own salvation

“Symbolic Deflowering” Elizabethans would have recognized the flowers that Ophelia clutched to when she drowned as phallic symbols, indicative of her repressed longings Feminine madness with the adornment of wild flowers portrayed “symbolic deflowering” Rosemary- was given as a token of remembrance between lovers Pansies- represented erotic thoughts Fennel- symbolized not only flattery but also fickleness in love and even women’s sexual desire Columbine- symbol of adultery

“ Symbolic Deflowering ” Rue- sorrow/repentance but was even thought to abate carnal lust Daisy- self sacrifice for love/dissembling love These garlands that she drowns in represent the conflicting feelings (innocence, pain, and sexuality) that caused her to need an escape from her oppressive lifestyle The flowers suggest a contradiction of female sexuality as both “ innocent blossoming and whorish contamination. ”

Madness as Sexual Excess Honor and virginity were the basis for a woman ’ s value in a patriarchal society Many feminist critics have suggested that Ophelia's madness is directly related to her sexual nature. Men went mad for reasons like mental or physical stress Women ’ s madness was associated with their bodies and erotic desires Doctors believed that the cause of hysteria in women was lack of sex/social helplessness So some critics reason that Ophelia ’ s death was caused by Polonius who prevented her from marrying Hamlet She was then unable to fulfill her natural role as wife/sexual being and her suicide was “ imminent. ”

Act 3, Scene 2- When Hamlet twists Ophelia ’ s words/degrades her with a sexual innuendo Ophelia: “ I think nothing, my lord ” Hamlet: “ That ’ s a fair thought to lie between a maid ’ s legs. ” Ophelia: “ What is, my lord? ” Hamlet: “ Nothing. ” Ophelia: “ You are merry, my lord. ” Act 4, Scene 5- Ophelia ’ s gone mad and the Gentleman insists her speech doesn ’ t matter Gentleman: “ Her speech is nothing /Yet the unshaped Use of it doth move the hearers to collection. ” Ophelia ’ s thoughts mean nothing in the public terms defined by the court She ’ s deprived of thought, sexuality, and language When she drowns, Ophelia wears virginal white (lack of color) which contrasts with Hamlet ’ s “ suits of solemn black. ” Critics refer to her story as the Story of Zero or “ mystery of feminine difference ” A Creature of Lack