Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is a well-known play, which not only tells a tragedy about revenge and philosophical thought, but indirectly highlights the opinions of society towards women. Shakespeare does a fantastic job of depicting the behavior and roles expected of women through his female characters; Ophelia and Gertrude. Gertrude and Ophelia are portrayed as weak and dependent, a common societal belief towards many women of the time. Hamlet was written and published during the late Middle Ages (14th-15th centuries). A time when women were necessary, simply for their ability to bear children. They were to be seen as the husband's property, and if they were unfortunate enough to lose their husband, they would most likely follow the lead of the next man, most likely their son. The views of this era are clearly shown through the actions and behavior of the women in this play. Shakespeare's play Hamlet captures the stigma that still exists today: women are weak and dependent on their male counterparts. There are two main female characters in Hamlet, the first being Ophelia. Ophelia is Hamlet's love interest and the daughter of Polonius, a faithful servant of King Claudius. On several occasions, Ophelia is disrespected and controlled by the men in her life. Ophelia's father, Polonius, constantly dictated her life. He made his wishes known to her on several occasions regarding her relationship with Hamlet. Polonius also managed to convince Ophelia to help him spy on and keep an eye on Hamlet. He tells Ophelia to stop spending time with Hamlet after a long speech about his intentions: “I would not, to put it plainly, from now on, so much slander in any free moment, as say words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. The......middle of paper......think for themselves and be more independent, their fate may have been different. Although we have made great strides in the movement towards equality, our society still holds a stigma against women. The idea that women are weak and weak is still alive and thriving. The fight has not yet been won and will continue to be a problem until the stigma is dismantled and destroyed. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. An introduction to literature: fiction, poetry and drama. By Sylvan Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain. Boston: Longman, 2011. Page no. Print.Noble, D.F. “A World Without Women.” Technology Review (00401692) 95.4 (1992): 52. Academic Search Premier. Network. November 27, 2013.Roberts, Jeanne Addison. "The Crone in English Renaissance Drama." Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England 15.(2002): 116-137. Premier of academic research. Network. November 27. 2013.