The Role of Women in Hamlet For many years in the past women have played a small role socially, economically and politically. As a result, many works in literature reflected this diminutive role of women. In Elizabethan theaters, boys dressed and played the roles of women. In contrast to this trend, in Shakespeare's Hamlet the women present in the play are driving factors for the actions of many other characters. Both Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and Ophelia, Hamlet's love, influenced many of the decisions and actions Hamlet takes. Gertrude influenced Hamlet significantly throughout the play. Hamlet was very angry about his mother's remarriage. A few months after her father's death, Gertrude married Claudius, Hamlet's uncle. He went mad when his father's ghost appeared to him and revealed that Claudius was responsible for Old Hamlet's death. Hamlet even called marriage incest. Hamlet's fury is shown when he throws his mother onto the bed and says, "Fragility, thy name is woman" (Act No. Scene No. Line No.). This shows the extent of her anger because she makes a generalization that all women are weak. As a result of his mother's actions, Hamlet strives to take revenge on Claudius for his father's death. To marry Gertrude, Claudius kills his brother. Therefore, Gertrude is the driving factor in the entire setting of the play. Another significant female character is Ophelia, Hamlet's love. Hamlet's quest for revenge interferes with his relationship with Ophelia. There is much evidence to show that Hamlet loved her very much, but her feigning of madness led to her death. Ophelia drowned without knowing what was happening to her. This can be deduced from the fact that she flowed down the river singing and happy when in reality she was heartbroken. Ophelia was very afraid when she saw Hamlet "with his doublet all undone; no hat on his head; his stockings dirty, without garter, and pulled down to his ankles" (Act #. Scene #. Line #). He described it as "free from hell" (Act #. Scene #. Line #). More than that he scared her when he left the room with his eyes still fixed on her. She is especially hurt when Hamlet tells her that he no longer loves her and that he is against the marriage. He advises her to go to a convent and avoid marriage if she can.