“Frailty thy name is woman” Women in Hamlet

     Oh, Hamlet. What an awful play from a feminist perspective. Hamlet himself said "Frailty thy name is woman." Hamlet, the main character, the weak little boy who can't make up his mind, believes women are frail. His mother had the guts to do what was expected of her, no matter her opinion, and marry her dead husband's brother. She did what she was supposed to do. Yes, it is a shame she had no choice, but she had the strength and the power to deal with the situation she was given and  make the best of it. How dare he call her frail.
      It is a shame she was forced to marry a man she did not love. Now, Shakespeare, that is not very empowering to women, considering the men can treat women so badly. Just look at Hamlet! He can deny he ever wrote Ophelia love letters and dump her poor little heart and she just has to take it. After everything she has been through, she is frail??
     Hamlet is later disrespectful to Ophelia. Ophelia-the woman who loved him despite his craziness *cough his frailty cough.* He says to her: "Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them." Really, Hamlet? Women turn men into monsters. Hamlet turned into a monster by himself. He also tells Ophelia to get herself to a nunnery if she wants to remain pure. Men should never feel that they have the authority to tell women what to do. Hamlet disrepects those who care for him, not realizing that these women are all he has.
     The women in Hamlet are nothing but peaceful and obedient. While I do not agree that the women need to be obedient, their obedience is a testament to their strength. The worst comment of all is calling women frail. Women were oppressed for centuries and I contend that influential writers and playwrights such as Shakespeare contributed to that.