Shakespeare’s depictions of women in Hamlet reflect the views of women during Elizabethan times. The women are depicted as having very little power and delicate so that the men can have consistency throughout the play and make most of the decisions. We see Ophelia obeying Polonius and Laertes, and Gertrude obeying Cladius or Hamlet. The delicacy of the women leads to the men dominating their relationships and this affects the women’s views of love. The women also are used as connectors between men. They are minor characters in the story but they add definition to the story by tying characters through romance or family ties.
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I agree with the correlation you gave comparing the women in Hamlet to the Elizabethan times. During the Elizabethan time, the women belonged to their fathers or their brothers in this case would be Ophelia and she does break off her relationship due to her fathers request. Also, The Elizabethan Era did take place around the same time William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet which is what influenced him to represent women the way he did. The play reflected many of the behaviors and values of the people in the Elizabethan Era.