Misha Khvatov
ENG4UZ
12 January 2021
A Psychological and Feminist Analysis of Hamlet
It would be no overstatement to say that Hamlet is one of the most literary works of all
time. Its influence on literature is profound and its characters are instantly recognizable. In
m
Hamlet Shakespeare addressed many complicated and nuanced topics, including the concept of
er as
co
resilience and what it means to be resilient in the face of adversity. For this essay, resilience in
eH w
hamlet will be analyzed from the feminist and psychological lens. Through both the feminist and
o.
rs e
psychological lens, the concept of resilience is address through how Hamlet and Ophelia adapt
ou urc
and recover from difficulties, specifically Hamlet’s unyielding determination, Ophelia’s lack of
o
agency due to misogyny, and their differing reactions to loss.
aC s
vi y re
Firstly, from a psychological standpoint, resilience in Hamlet is explored through
Hamlet’s unyielding determination despite the mental anguish he faces. Throughout the play,
ed d
ar stu
there is a great amount of evidence that Hamlet is experiencing mental hardships. Firstly, even
Hamlet calls himself melancholic (Ham 2.2.563), and talks at length about his anhedonia to
is
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, saying he lost all his mirth and that nothing interests him. In the
Th
1st act, Hamlet says “but I have that within which passeth show, /These but the trappings and the
suits of woe” (Ham 1.2.85-86), meaning that no actions could show his true grief, for it is that
sh
profound. Finally, he debates suicide with himself in the famous “to be, or not to be” soliloquy
and shows self-hatred throughout the play “Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” (Ham
2.2.509). Hamlet’s actions as well as his internal and external conversations, clearly demonstrate
This study source was downloaded by 100000829416937 from CourseHero.com on 08-16-2021 10:20:03 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/78083025/Hamlet-Essaydocx/
, that he is experiencing great mental hardship. Yet despite this, despite all his grief and woe,
Hamlet is driven by the goal of avenging his late father. In Act 1, after speaking to the ghost,
Hamlet says “And thy commandment all alone shall live” (Ham 1.5.102) swearing and
dedicating himself to revenge. It is critical to note, that while Hamlet procrastinates, his heart
never wavers. In dedicating himself to this goal, he is not letting his mental anguish stop him
from doing what he thinks is right. Thus, Hamlet demonstrates resilience by overcoming
adversity and resolving himself to do what he thinks is right. This clearly shows that resilience in
Hamlet is explored through Hamlet’s determination to avenge his father, despite his grief.
m
er as
In addition to overcoming mental adversity, in Hamlet, from the perspective of the gender
co
eH w
lens resilience is explored through Ophelia’s passivity that stems from her lack of resilience to
o.
rs e
gender roles. Throughout the play, Ophelia is submissive and passive. In her very first
ou urc
appearance, two men lecture her for fifty lines each while she responds with just 7. There is not a
o
hint of independent thought in any of Ophelia’s lines, in the first act she outright says “I do not
aC s
vi y re
know, my lord, what I should think” (Ham 1.3.104). In Hamlet Ophelia never acts independently
or does anything other than what a man tells her to do. And through this lack of agency and
ed d
passivity, the concept of resilience is explored. In the play, Ophelia spies on Hamlet because
ar stu
Polonius, her father, asked her to. In doing so, she shows a lack of resistance to the gender roles
given to her. From the feminist perspective, Ophelia conforms to the gender role of a submissive
is
Th
woman and by doing so she shows a lack of resilience in the face of misogyny and gender
pressures. Her lack of resilience to misogyny is also demonstrated by her lack of response to
sh
Hamlet's tirade against her. In the third act, Hamlet says to Ophelia “I have heard of your
paintings well enough. God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another[…] It hath
made me mad.” (Ham 3.1.141-146), insulting her and demeaning women as a whole. However,
This study source was downloaded by 100000829416937 from CourseHero.com on 08-16-2021 10:20:03 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/78083025/Hamlet-Essaydocx/
ENG4UZ
12 January 2021
A Psychological and Feminist Analysis of Hamlet
It would be no overstatement to say that Hamlet is one of the most literary works of all
time. Its influence on literature is profound and its characters are instantly recognizable. In
m
Hamlet Shakespeare addressed many complicated and nuanced topics, including the concept of
er as
co
resilience and what it means to be resilient in the face of adversity. For this essay, resilience in
eH w
hamlet will be analyzed from the feminist and psychological lens. Through both the feminist and
o.
rs e
psychological lens, the concept of resilience is address through how Hamlet and Ophelia adapt
ou urc
and recover from difficulties, specifically Hamlet’s unyielding determination, Ophelia’s lack of
o
agency due to misogyny, and their differing reactions to loss.
aC s
vi y re
Firstly, from a psychological standpoint, resilience in Hamlet is explored through
Hamlet’s unyielding determination despite the mental anguish he faces. Throughout the play,
ed d
ar stu
there is a great amount of evidence that Hamlet is experiencing mental hardships. Firstly, even
Hamlet calls himself melancholic (Ham 2.2.563), and talks at length about his anhedonia to
is
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, saying he lost all his mirth and that nothing interests him. In the
Th
1st act, Hamlet says “but I have that within which passeth show, /These but the trappings and the
suits of woe” (Ham 1.2.85-86), meaning that no actions could show his true grief, for it is that
sh
profound. Finally, he debates suicide with himself in the famous “to be, or not to be” soliloquy
and shows self-hatred throughout the play “Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!” (Ham
2.2.509). Hamlet’s actions as well as his internal and external conversations, clearly demonstrate
This study source was downloaded by 100000829416937 from CourseHero.com on 08-16-2021 10:20:03 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/78083025/Hamlet-Essaydocx/
, that he is experiencing great mental hardship. Yet despite this, despite all his grief and woe,
Hamlet is driven by the goal of avenging his late father. In Act 1, after speaking to the ghost,
Hamlet says “And thy commandment all alone shall live” (Ham 1.5.102) swearing and
dedicating himself to revenge. It is critical to note, that while Hamlet procrastinates, his heart
never wavers. In dedicating himself to this goal, he is not letting his mental anguish stop him
from doing what he thinks is right. Thus, Hamlet demonstrates resilience by overcoming
adversity and resolving himself to do what he thinks is right. This clearly shows that resilience in
Hamlet is explored through Hamlet’s determination to avenge his father, despite his grief.
m
er as
In addition to overcoming mental adversity, in Hamlet, from the perspective of the gender
co
eH w
lens resilience is explored through Ophelia’s passivity that stems from her lack of resilience to
o.
rs e
gender roles. Throughout the play, Ophelia is submissive and passive. In her very first
ou urc
appearance, two men lecture her for fifty lines each while she responds with just 7. There is not a
o
hint of independent thought in any of Ophelia’s lines, in the first act she outright says “I do not
aC s
vi y re
know, my lord, what I should think” (Ham 1.3.104). In Hamlet Ophelia never acts independently
or does anything other than what a man tells her to do. And through this lack of agency and
ed d
passivity, the concept of resilience is explored. In the play, Ophelia spies on Hamlet because
ar stu
Polonius, her father, asked her to. In doing so, she shows a lack of resistance to the gender roles
given to her. From the feminist perspective, Ophelia conforms to the gender role of a submissive
is
Th
woman and by doing so she shows a lack of resilience in the face of misogyny and gender
pressures. Her lack of resilience to misogyny is also demonstrated by her lack of response to
sh
Hamlet's tirade against her. In the third act, Hamlet says to Ophelia “I have heard of your
paintings well enough. God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another[…] It hath
made me mad.” (Ham 3.1.141-146), insulting her and demeaning women as a whole. However,
This study source was downloaded by 100000829416937 from CourseHero.com on 08-16-2021 10:20:03 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/78083025/Hamlet-Essaydocx/
