Ophelia And Feminism Essay - 1471 Words

In the play Hamlet Written by William Shakespeare Ophelia is objectified based upon her gender and virginity by her brother Laertes, and is cast aside and treated like a powerless second class citizen by Hamlet. The Oxford Dictionary defines feminism as â€Å"The advocacy of women s rights on the grounds of the equality of the sexes.† Applying the feminist ideal as stated in the previous definition to Ophelia’s situation we can reach the conclusion that Ophelia was not treated with the respect and given the power she deserves. This is similar to today s problem of gender inequality in the twenty first century. Regarding the dismissive manner President of the USA Donald J Trump objectifies women and the gender pay gap in New Zealand show us†¦show more content†¦Fear it, Ophelia; fear it, my dear sister, And keep you in the rear of your affection,Out of the shot and danger of desire. â€Å" (1.3.27-39) Feminism drives for equality and fights for women s rights based on the belief that if women are treated fairly and have equal access to power then a fair, equal and just society will follow. This belief and drive for equality can stimulate fear that the that the uplift and empowerment of women will somehow steal power and prestige from men. I have talked to a number of male and females at the ages of 15-17 that think that make feminism out to be a negative belief, and maintain strong anti feminism ethos’. They use the derogatory term â€Å"Feminazi† which is often used in a disparaging manner to describe an â€Å"extreme† or â€Å"Militant† feminist. However this belief is only held by a small percentage of extremists that every belief and culture has†¦ No movement should be defined by the rants of the extreme element as it is not necessarily the common belief within that movement. A modern day example of treating women in a derogatory manner is the President Donald J Trump who repeatedly puts women down in order to makeShow MoreRelatedFeminism in both Hamlet and Lady Oracle Essay1179 Words   |  5 Pageswhen both of them, Hamlet and Joan Foster, need to take some decisions which may change their destinies. In this brief essay I will try to point out similarities and differences between these two stories taking into consideration a feminist approach. First and foremost I would like to mention what do I mean by feminist approach and how do I intend to apply it to my essay. Feminism is a political discourse aimed at equal rights and legal protection for women. It involves various movements, theoriesRead MoreFeminism in Hamlet1451 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Feminist Criticism and Its Integration in Hamlet† In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, many controversies arose from the text, one of which was feminism. Feminism in the most general of terms is known as the principle advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. Feminism was a largely debated issue in the context of eighteenth century literature specific to many of Shakespeare’s texts. Feminist Criticism is similar in content but is more specific andRead MoreGender Inequality In Hamlet1261 Words   |  6 PagesAs I perused through CNN, an article titled â€Å"Why China has so few female leaders† caught my attention. According to the article, The Baju Culture, discriminatory policy and the anti-feminism were the reasons China only had two female leaders. However, when observing the world trend, it seems many opportunities and resources are granted to women. Many articles of The New York Times reveal young women as being less dependent on men, higher achievers, ahead of men in education, receiving higher earningsRead MoreHamlet Family Vs Duty947 Words   |  4 PagesFamily Vs Duty: Hamlet Essay The Tragedy of Hamlet is a play written by William Shakespeare in the renaissance era. The renaissance era is a time when playwright and art both flourishing within Europe. Shakespeare has written many plays, rather, adapted many historical events into plays, such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and more. The Tragedy of Hamlet is a play which dives into the psychotics of prince Hamlet the second. After his uncle kills his father and marries his mom, Hamlet witnesses theRead MoreSomething and Nothing in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1731 Words   |  7 Pages   Ã‚   Can nothing be something? Or can something turn into nothing? Shakespeare would have the reader believe both are possible. A person can be something and nothing as exemplified when Ophelia asks Hamlet What is my Lord? and Hamlet replies Nothing.(3.2. 109,111) Shakespeare uses nothing multifariously in his tragic play   Hamlet.   Nothing becomes a way for the reader to draw parallels between Young Hamlet, and his slain father.   Young Hamlets   use of   the word nothing, consistentlyRead More Sexuality and Aggression in Hamlet Essay1998 Words   |  8 Pagessexuality, specifically maternal sexuality. Janet Adelman asserts her feminism into the sexist view of psychoanalysis to define the contamination as that power of women that men fear.    Adelmans case for the collapse of boundaries is her strength and weakness. Extensive textual evidence supports her claim for the melding of the men, but her choice to ignore the womens differentiation is a critical error. Gertrude and Ophelia define themselves through sexuality, memory retention and communicationRead More The Politics of Contemporary Approaches to Shakespeare Essay3166 Words   |  13 Pagesprofessors questioned constitutional violations against Sakren. The story ran in papers across the state, and the populous at large revisited the topic of the widespread rejection of Western literature and thought by secular academia in favor of feminism and multiculturalism. The incident highlights the explosive politics of contemporary approaches to literature. Even a simple examination of two student-written articles on the Sakren case illustrates the deep divide between academically mindedRead MoreLetter From Gloria Naylor s Mama Day2479 Words   |  10 Pageswomen’s voice. In Mama Day, gynocentric granules can be excavated with the implication of femininity that acts the centre having its impact on every course of action. Though women like Sapphira Wade, Bascombe Wade, Miranda or Mama Day, Cocoa or Ophelia and Ruby have been acquainted as the centre of action, Naylor has both positively and negatively depicted their mystiques. Keywords: Gynocentrism, Gynocriticism, androcentrism ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Read MoreHow Queens I Want to Break Free Video Explores Queerness in Relation to Queer Theory1544 Words   |  7 Pagesto express their own sense of identity, that being nationality, race, class, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. In this case, Queen uses music to illustrate the themes of gender and sexuality through their music video I Want to Break Free (1983). This essay will attempt to discuss how Queen’s music video, I Want to Break Free, explores queerness in relation to queer theory. Firstly, I will introduce the ideas and arguments of queer theory through Gilbert Herdt article Same Sex Different Cultures (1997)Read More The Significance of Religion in Hamlet Essays2838 Words   |  12 Pagescrushed; similarly, when researching Hamlet, one finds a plethora of papers in diverse fields including philosophy, religion, feminism, literature, psychology, culture, and histo ry covering a wide range of aspects of the play. This study examines the function of religion for the people and events of Hamlet, offering a different perspective on the characters’ motives. The essay begins with a summary of the play, and then discusses the characters, especially the protagonist, to elicit the influence of