Characters' Relationships in Hamlet
Relationships are everywhere; however, nowadays people differ too much from others, due to the expansion of diversity, the point that sometimes is difficult to find a good relationship. Some folks are blessed to have encountered their twin in ideas, which creates a good bond of friendship, which can benefit both people either in self, personality or psychologically. In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, the character of Hamlet has many relationships with all characters. A human relationship is a logical or natural association between two or more people; hence, Hamlet has many of these associations with other characters such as Gertrude, Claudius, and Ophelia. Gender Studies and Queer Theory can be used to identify behaviors from Hamlet to Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia; thus, being able to make deeper inferences about their relationship according to the story, making connections between their feelings in relation to the plot of the play, and analyzing each character’s ideology.
Gender Studies and Queer Theory can be used to identify behavior and Hamlet’s relationship with Claudius. Before creating inferences about their relationship, Claudius is hamlet’s uncle, who married his mother and acquired the throne after the death of Hamlet's father. One day, Hamlet talked to his father’s ghost, which concludes with the ghost telling him that Claudius kill him, and married Gertrude, which is the mother of Hamlet so that Claudius can inherit the throne in the kingdom. As a result of this, Hamlet is furious with desires and intentions to avenge his father. Therefore, the relationship between Hamlet and Claudius turns somewhat intense due to the death of his father carried out by Claudius, in order to get the power in the kingdom, which was all planned. An example of this relationship is when Hamlet tells Claudius 'A little more than kin, and less than kind' (Act 1, Scene II, Line 65). Hence, this expression is inferred as an insult in this era of time. Another example can be found in Act 3, Scene 3, where Hamlet had a play about a king getting poisoned. As a result of this, Claudius, who was watching this play, felt remorse for killing his brother, King Hamlet, and had to leave.
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Gender Studies and Queer Theory can be used to identify behavior and Hamlet’s relationship with Gertrude. The relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude was turbulent and with a lot of tension since Gertrude married Hamlet’s uncle named Claudius after Claudius murdered hamlet’s father, King Hamlet; as a result of this, hamlet is very furious with this at a point that Hamlet is more upset with Gertrude’s remarrying than with his father’s murder. Therefore, Hamlet is irritated and sore from this uncomfortable situation, so he begins to behave badly in front of his mother without respecting her. To the point that his mother Gertrude begins to be afraid of Hamlet's behavior, since it is unusual in him, and she knows nothing of what was done with Claudius' plan. Hamlet frequently mentions his mother’s sexuality, and obsesses about her relationship with Claudius; thus, describing their marital bed as ‘incestuous sheets’ (Act 1, Scene II, Line 57). Also, due to Hamlet's great anger about almost everything, she fears that her own son will kill her. At a moment in the play, Hamlet enters the room furiously to talk to his mother, when suddenly he hears a sound behind a curtain and thinks they are mice, then he digs his sword into the curtain; however, no mice were found, what Polonius found was wanting to spy on Hamlet's behavior with his mother Gertrude; As a result, Polonius is killed by Hamlet's mistake and Gertrude is much more afraid of his son's behavior.
Gender Studies and Queer Theory can be used to identify behavior and Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia. the relationship between Ophelia and Hamlet can be described as something emotional, passionate, and painful in turn, and it is very important to understand the plot of the play. Before Hamlet finds out about his father's murder carried out by Uncle Claudius, Hamlet is in a good way and shows feelings towards the young Ophelia. However, immediately after Hamlet finds out what has been done with his father, he finds himself in shock internally, which leads hamlet to think in a different way, thus treating and having different feelings towards others. Hamlet initially sent flowers and gifts to the young Ophelia, and with that act, we can notice the love and affection that Hamlet has for her, but abruptly this feeling becomes cold and hard due to the death of Hamlet's father, taking him to this to not have feelings with others, thus treating the young Ophelia in a different way, even though she is in love with Hamlet. On the other hand, When Ophelia feels Hamlet's change about her, she also begins to have a different affection for him. For example, Ophelia deceives Hamlet, when she allows Claudius and Polonius, who is her father, to spy on her, so they can see the interaction and Hamlet's behavior toward her. As a result of all the acts and messages Hamlet about Ophelia and the death of Ophelia's father carried out by Hamlet's mistake, the young woman is in the same shock that Hamlet met for the first time. Poor Ophelia decides to commit suicide by drowning, since the feelings of distant and broken love, but the death of her father led her to have a clueless and sore mind.
Gender Studies and Queer Theory can be used to identify behavior and Hamlet’s relationship with Horatio. The relationship between Hamlet and Horatio is identified as trusting, supportive and loyal. At one point in the play, when Hamlet sends Horatio a letter explaining Hamlet's plan to return to the kingdom again. As a result of this action, readers can notice the great confidence that Hamlet has for Horatio, in telling him his secret plan, even in the letter they explain instructions to follow in order to carry out the plan. Therefore, Horatio demonstrates again the loyalty and support he has for Hamlet for following the plan and bringing the letter to Claudius as it was in the instructions. In addition, although Hamlet is going through a bad situation in history, Horatio was always there to help and support him, thus making the readers understand that the relationship between the two is loyal, supportive, and trusting. And that’s one of the reasons why Hamlet mentions “Horatio is the ideal Renaissance man, stoic and patient” (Act 3, Scene II, Line 30).
In conclusion, the relationships between the characters in a play, which is the Gender Studies and Queer Theory, could be used to identify the plot of the story, and the ideology of each character, and make deeper inferences about their relationship within the story. Overall, Hamlet proves to have strong feelings and intense relationships among all the characters, thus demonstrating a type of drama unleashed in a story. William Shakespeare was able to create this drama, by including conflicting and uncomfortable situations in the story. Some examples of these are by including the death of his father planned by Uncle Claudius, then Claudius marrying her mother Gertrude, Hamlet mistakenly murdering Polonius, who is Ophelia's father, Hamlet's forgotten love for Ophelia, Ophelia's suicide, and the final scene where the main characters die. As a result, William Shakespeare creates this drama carried out of tragedies and intense relationships and conversations. As a result, the Gender and Queer Theory was helpful to make a deeper inference and analysis of the play.
- Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Kirszner, Laurie G. Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing 9th ed. Wadsworth: Publishing. Page 1044-1150.
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