(Hamlet) Women

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  • Created by: NHow02
  • Created on: 24-02-19 10:03
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  • Women
    • Women as sinful
      • 'with such dexterity to incestuous sheets'
        • Sibilance creates a sinister effect + alludes to snake in the Garden of Eden
        • 'unweeded garden'
          • Garden of Eden (paradise is corrupted)
        • In 1563, Elizabeth reminded the people of the rules of Leviticus and marriage
          • Archbishop Parker ruled that marrying your sister-in-law was sinful
      • 'Get thee to a nunnery - why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?'
        • 'If the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion - Have you a daughter?'
          • Cutting 'c' alliteration creates a violent effect
          • 'Carrion' could mean a crow (omen of death) or dead flesh.
          • Hamlet associates female love ('kissing') with death
          • 'dead dog' suggests loyalty leads to death OR counts for nothing
        • Repetition of 'breed' suggests women are all sinners due to 'biological determinism'
    • Women as victims
      • 'let her not walk i'th'sun'
        • 'If the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion - Have you a daughter?'
          • Cutting 'c' alliteration creates a violent effect
          • 'Carrion' could mean a crow (omen of death) or dead flesh.
          • Hamlet associates female love ('kissing') with death
          • 'dead dog' suggests loyalty leads to death OR counts for nothing
        • The 'sun' could represent God due to heavenly imagery
        • It could also symbolise the king/'head' of state
      • 'chaste as ice, as pure as snow'
        • Sinister sibilance suggests women are cold and slippery
        • Juxtaposed with 'pure' which suggests women are victims of society
        • 'snow' suggests female sins are covered by image of purity
        • 'nymph' + 'mermaid-like'
          • Imagery of temptress, luring men to their downfall
          • Revenge Tragedy: Women begin  strong but end weak
          • The Renaissance was a time of rediscovering classical roots in Greek tragedies + latin studies
      • 'And from her fair and unpolluted flesh may violets spring'
        • 'unweeded garden'
          • Garden of Eden (paradise is corrupted)
        • Violets are also weeds, suggesting even the loveliest things breed corruption
        • Violets symbolise faithfulness but also sexual longing

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