were portrayed as weak, emotional, and as being inferior to men. The men of the era

were the dominant, superior gender and this was no exception in William Shakespeare’s

Hamlet. Shakespeare portrays the female characters in Hamlet as being stereotypical

for the Elizabethan time period. This is demonstrated in Hamlets relationship with his

mother, Ophelia’s relationship with Polonius and Laertes, and the women characters, in

Gertrude’s relationship with her son, Hamlet, displays an accurate portrayal of the

way women were treated in the Elizabethan Era. The Era in which women were not

respected, as shown in Act 1, Scene 2 ““Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not

“seems”” (79) The beginning of a quote in which Hamlet mocks his mother showing dis

respect for her and her actions. As the play continues Hamlet’s disapproval

freedom violated. Shakespeare having living in a time period where women were

thought to be demure, and fragile he demonstrates this belief in Act 1 Scene 2 “Frailty,

incapable of making rational decisions on their own, this is shown in Act 1 Scene 3 when

Some topics in this essay:
Hamlet” Act, Elizabethan Era, Era Era, Polonius Ophelia, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet Act, Ophelia Hamlet, Polonius Laertes, Hamlet Claudius, Hamlet Shakespeare, act 1, 1 scene, act 1 scene, scene 2, female characters, elizabethan era, era women, shown act, personal freedom, 1 scene 2, scene 3, 3 scene, shown act 1, 1 scene 3, act 3 scene,