Sandra K. Fischer’s seminal work, “Hearing Ophelia: Gender and Tragic Discourse in Hamlet” goes on to portray the fact that the play by William Shakespeare goes on to use the female characters as simple buffers to the entire narrative only to the extent that they work to bring out the omnipotence and significance of the male characters in the play. Now, if one delves deep into the narrative of this Shakespearean play, it would become clear that Fischer has correctly pointed out to the innate nature of the narrative to reiterate the patriarchal parameters of the then society and the societally imposed subjugation of women. A close analysis of the literary character of Ophelia would make one understand the subtleties through which the inequality is established in the course of the narrative with the female having been ascribed passivity and less importance with respect to the entire story arc. One can very well juxtapose the character of Ophelia to the pivotal character of Hamlet whose dominance and story encompasses the narrative of the play. The differences of portrayal on the part of the stalwart playwright can very well be seen as a conspicuous sign of the reflection of gender disparity existent in the society of the time in this literary work.
As such, it would be correct to opine that Fischer is apt in her analysis, and she correctly refers to the specific disparities toward the female characters in creative work discussing about the approach of Shakespeare in this particular play. One cannot help but comply with Fischer’s perspective as a literary critic or analyst as she talks of “the horrible implicit paradox” that “lies in the voice of Ophelia that was never heard, and the resounding voice of Hamlet, which outlives even the body that housed it.” (Fischer 8) Thus, the holistic treatment of this main female character in the play goes on to expose the innate chauvinism of patriarchic parameters and practices. The way Ophelia is portrayed in the play can very well be seen as a microcosm of the position of women in a male dominated world where their voices and emotions would remain repressed or get lost in the dominance and power struggle of the males. Thus, Fischer’s article stands out in its in-depth analysis of Hamlet and provides the readers with valuable insight into the play in context.
Works Cited
Fischer, Sandra K. “Hearing Ophelia: Gender and Tragic Discourse in Hamlet.”
jps.library.utoronto.ca. jps.library.utoronto.ca, n.d. Web. 2 July 2016.
