Question

Critical essay on hamlet

Answer 1

Different critical lenses can be used to examine William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Some of these different lenses are formalist, feminist, or historical. The reader can evaluate a text using any of these critical lens examples. The feminist lens will be used to evaluate Hamlet in this essay. This gives us insight into an interesting aspect of Hamlet.

The women in Hamlet were seen as being weak and having to submit to men, especially men of higher social status. Women are expected to obey the commands given to them by men. This can be studied by the way Ophelia and Gertrude are interacted with throughout the play. Their actions throughout the play were heavily influenced by male characters. Even Gertrude and Orphelia’s death were caused by Claudius and Hamlet. The biggest impact Orphelia’s death has is the dual between Hamlet and Laertes that it caused. Gertrude and Orphelia are also both heavily dependent on the affection shown by Claudius and Hamlet.

As demonstrated in Hamlet, men controlled the lives of women at the time. Gertrude even says “I shall obey you” to Polonius. This shows that Gertrude leads a straightforward life that is ruled by men along with the other female characters in the play. Another crucial subject is women's mentality. Hamlet describes the women as “frailty”. This is a very straightforward description and fits perfectly the depiction of women in the play. This attitude towards women was typical of the historical time period. Elizabethan England was a very patriarchal society, and this must have translated into the play.

In conclusion, viewing Hamlet through a feminist lens shows a picture not significantly different than the norm of the current time period. Women are viewed as inferior and dependent. Multiple quotes are taken directly from the play to support this. The plot also shows how men in the famous play dominate women.

Step-by-step explanation:

remember to paraphrase

Answer 2

A critical essay is an academic text that we write to make an analysis or evaluation of a text, in this case by Hamlet.

It does not mean that we are going to criticize the work giving personal opinions, but that we are going to analyze its themes or the way it was written.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this critical essay we are going to analyze one of the several themes that Hamlet has: revenge.

In Hamlet's heart the desire for revenge predominated, but could this bring any benefit? Probably not, however for Hamlet it was indispensable to avenge his father's death because of the promise he made to him.

This internal struggle between "good and evil" made Hamlet begin to develop symptoms of madness. He began to doubt his friends and family, and even told Ofelia that he did not love her.

Hence, Hamlet's great doubt arises: to be or not to be.

Eventually Hamlet ends up taking revenge on his uncle Claudius, but his hatred and revenge ends with everyone's death.

In this way the usefulness of revenge is questioned, even if it is motivated.