Frailty Thy Name is Woman: Toxic Masculinity in Hamlet

Society conditions men to act to a certain standard to fulfill the ideals of masculinity. In order to be viewed as masculine, men must honor their family through action, often in the form of revenge. However, an expectation of revenge and violence in society is created, leading men to feel insecure if they are not actively taking action for honor. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the deep obligation to seek revenge causes Hamlet’s internal conflict with masculinity, as he wants to honor his father through action, yet questions whether he has the strength to do so. Thus, ideals of masculinity create a cycle of violence as action is linked with masculinity, so men act out to contribute to an image of masculinity without benefiting the ultimate cause of insecurity — honor.

After the death of his father, Hamlet grapples with the burden of avenging his father’s murder by killing his uncle. His father returns as a ghost to tell Hamlet the truth of his murder and convince him to seek revenge. Hamlet Sr. explains, “If thou didst ever thy dear father love … revenge his foul and most unnatural murder”. Hamlet views his father so highly and feels so deeply that he has not been remembered enough that he will follow anything his father says. By describing the task of seeking revenge as a way to show “love,” Hamlet places increased pressure on Hamlet to show honor. This honor will show Hamlet’s true masculinity and allow him to live up to his father’s name.

Hamlet's Internal Conflict With Masculinity Through the Play

This pressure creates a struggle of insecurity for Hamlet as he ties his self-worth to his ability to seek revenge and thus, act masculine. Hamlet often subtly undermines his strength when contemplating revenge because of insecurity stemming from the pressure to seek revenge. For example, as Hamlet begins to plan the play for his uncle, he explains, “Yet I, / a dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak / like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, / and can say nothing … Am I a coward?”. Shakespeare utilizes a simile to compare Hamlet to “John-a-dreams” or one who only dreams and never takes action. Thus, Hamlet feels unmasculine, because he displays his insecurity of not taking any concrete action. Additionally, he questions whether he is a coward, showing that he is unsure whether he has the strength within him yet is afraid of using it or if he truly is unable to kill his uncle. Furthermore, Hamlet analyzes his uncle’s character by undermining his strength “My father’s brother, … no more like my father / than I to Hercules” (1.2 157-158). Hamlet views his uncle as an utter disgrace to his family and a complete foil of his father. Thus, Hamlet highlights how the vast differences between these characters are the same as between Hamlet and a figure of strength, masculinity, and power. Shakespeare utilizes similes because they allow Hamlet to reference his insecurity while not fully confronting it, as he can appear masculine externally by not showing weakness. Therefore, Hamlet feels deeply unmasculine but attempts to hide it by only subtly referring to it.

Although Laertes and Hamlet lose their fathers and seek revenge, their ultimate ability to act demonstrates their relationship with masculinity. After losing both his father and sister, Laertes declares, “I will do’t” (4.7 159). His simple, yet motivated response demonstrates his desire to seek revenge and his ease to act. Although he receives outside pressure to do so from Claudius, his motivation to act comes from his wish to honor his relatives on his own accord. Thus, Laertes has a strong relationship with masculinity, as he does not associate his action with his self-worth and chooses to act for others. In contrast, Hamlet acts passively, giving excuses instead of killing his uncle. In Hamlet’s Act 4.4 soliloquy, he states, “Now, whether it be / Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple / Of thinking too precisely on the event, / A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdom / And ever three parts coward, I do not know / Why yet I live to say / ‘This thing’s to do;’ / Sith I have cause and will and strength and means / To do’t.” Hamlet acknowledges that he consistently pretends as though he is contemplating killing his uncle when he is truly creating excuses out of fear. This serves as a contrast to Laertes’ attitude, as Hamlet is hesitant to act whereas Laertes is driven and quick. Thus, Hamlet struggles with masculinity as he creates a cycle: he wants to act but struggles with his strength, which causes him to further delay action resulting in him feeling more unmasculine. Moreover, Hamlet receives pressure from his father to kill his uncle, and although this serves as motivation, ultimately, Hamlet acts for himself, compelling him to associate his actions with his masculinity. If Hamlet acted solely for his father’s honor, he would have killed Claudius the first chance he had. However, he constantly contemplates whether he has the strength to do so, as his thoughts are “three parts coward.” He seeks revenge because it will make him finally feel masculine, showing unmasculinity as he is not seeking to honor his family like Laertes. Hamlet ultimately is motivated to act when he sees Fortinbras. Fortinbras seeks to gain back a parcel of land taken from his father, his way of honoring his father and seeking revenge. Reflecting on Fortinbras’ army, Hamlet explains, “To my shame I see / the imminent death of twenty thousand men / that for a fantasy and trick of fame / go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot / whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, which is not tomb enough and continent / to hide the slain?” (4.4 62-68). Instead of not acting due to his insecurity, he sees Fortinbras as a true representation of masculinity and strength and is motivated to act. He will act to honor his father like Fortinbras. If so many men are willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause, he must be too. Thus, Shakespeare utilizes Hamlet’s Act 4.4 soliloquy as a turning point: where Hamlet truly accepts his duty to take revenge. Hamlet is driven to act more like Fortinbras’ representation of masculinity. Therefore, although all three men face the same struggle of lost fathers, their response demonstrates their interpretation of masculinity.

Masculinity creates a vicious cycle of violence as men seek action to fulfill their insecurity, often resulting in action that does little to support their cause. Hamlet reveals to Horatio that he had Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed: “Why, man, they did make love to this employment. / They are not near my conscience”. Hamlet feels no remorse for his childhood friends because Shakespeare utilizes irony because Hamlet kills people other Claudius. His entire mission is to seek revenge, yet he spends time plotting the deaths of others whose ultimate goal was to help him. Therefore, Hamlet’s feeling of unmasculinity causes him to act out towards others. He acts, fulfills the ideal of masculinity of action, yet it does not serve his goal. So, his fear and insecurity that causes him to not take action towards his goals, causes him to act unnecessarily violent towards others, showing a cycle of violence created by the ideals of masculinity.

Conclusion

Masculinity standards create violence against women. Hamlet directly associates inaction with being unmasculine, as he explains that not avenging his father will make him “like a whore” (2.2.614). Women in society are not given the ability to take any action as their freedoms are restricted by a patriarchal society. Thus, even though they do not have the choice whether to act or not, women are associated with inaction. Hamlet’s interactions with women demonstrate him consistently treating them as inferior. Although this is somewhat due to the misogyny of the time period, his behavior is also linked to the insecurity of his masculinity. For example, in a soliloquy discussing his mother, Hamlet states “Frailty, thy name is woman!”. Instead of saying his mother is frail, he asserts that all women are frail. He treats women negatively because he wishes to distance himself from the characteristics of women. He constantly does not act, so he is associated with unmasculinity. So, his treatment of women stems from his insecurity and his desire to act in order to appear masculine. Therefore, the ideals of masculinity create conflict between men and women, as men associate women with weakness, a trait that would ruin their image.