greetings to all of you and to "wise catherine"

Is it plausible to follow the roots of our tragic hero`s dilemma back to ophelia and primarily gertrude. Are they fault just as eve was fault when she gave adam the apple?

Claudius must have been receiving bodylanguage (or more) from gertrude because he wouldn`t have killed the king without being sure about her feelings towards him. Does he kill for himself or is he blinded by gertrudes charm and acts as her tool. Does Gertrude condemn the other characters (and herself) to their fate (death?) by acting this way? In my opinion Ophelia contributes furthermore to the hopelessness of Hamlet rather than backing him up. Normally partners are able to share their problems but Hamlet didn`t feel like telling her any of his thoughts!

IS IT THE WOMENS FAULT ALL THE MAIN CHARACTERS HAD TO DIE?

Please keep in mind i do actually like women in private :-)

-- Tobias Bleckwedel (tmbleckwedel@gmx.de), August 04, 2003

Answers

No.

The play demonstrates that its two women are less opinionated, less self-assertive and more needful of being led than the men, and that men on the other hand should know how to conduct lives properly. Whether Claudius had Gertrude or not, he wanted to be King. In III.i, Hamlet pretty much points out that Adam was at fault in Eden, and that men have been sinners ever since. Hamlet blames Claudius, Laertes blames Claudius, the only person Horatio ever says anything bad about is Claudius. Call me sexist if you will, but I blame Claudius too.

-- catherine england (catherine_england@hotmail.com), August 05, 2003.

i think that hamlet views women as perfect or the other way around. he is a playboy and doesn't know when he sees a virtuous women

-- Jessica derabsaas (nyqueenzgirl01@aol.com), February 19, 2004.

I think if Gertrudes behaviour had been different then the fate of the play would have been too. Its is Gertrudes naievity which lead her into such a mess into her own death. however u mention a good point about whether gertrude gave signalls at the beginnnig. Maybe after the death but perhaps claudius like suggeste couldnt tell beteen a modest womn or a berevingora desperate lady. Wthin those times women were seen as sexual objects and gertude was a spare one which lead to more power. Orphelias need to complicate erything and response to hamlet doesnt help. But he doesnt NOT provoke her to do so. So i think the women r 2 blame a fair bit 4 the faters but i do belive claudius had the innitial plot in hand and the women just complicated things. im female myself so i o think hamlet exploits our tendencies to do things but exagerates it and uses it as negative andnot in a possitive light.

-- ttlbliss 4now (tlbliss@yahoo.com), February 01, 2005.