Surviving Hamlet: Female Trauma through the Lens of Judith Lewis Herman’s Theory

Cha Li; Qian Zhao

doi:10.18778/2083-2931.15.23

Authors

Cha Li Nanjing Polytechnic Institute, Jiangsu
Qian Zhao Anhui Business College, Wuhu City https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9466-2990

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-2931.15.23

Keywords:

Shakespeare, Hamlet, literary trauma studies, Judith Lewis Herman, character analysis, Gertrude, Ophelia

Abstract

This article employs Judith Lewis Herman’s Trauma and Recovery Theory as a framework to explore the theme of female trauma in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a play renowned for its intricate psychological depth. It analyzes the traumatic events experienced by the pivotal female characters, Queen Gertrude and Ophelia, examining their traumas, with specific focus on Gertrude’s inner struggles regarding remarriage and Ophelia’s trauma stemming from political manipulation and her lover’s betrayal. Symptoms such as hyperarousal, intrusion, and constriction observed in the female characters are scrutinized, as are the recovery efforts of both characters, in particular, Gertrude’s quest for stability and efforts at reconnection with Hamlet, as well as Ophelia’s remembrance and mourning process. Through close textual analysis and engagement with contemporary trauma scholarship, this article demonstrates that Shakespeare’s portrayal of female suffering offers nuanced insights into the interplay between personal trauma and social structures, while highlighting the limitations imposed on female recovery in a patriarchal context.

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Author Biographies

Cha Li, Nanjing Polytechnic Institute, Jiangsu

Cha Li is a Lecturer of English Literature at Nanjing Polytechnic Institute (Jiangsu, China). Her current research area is devoted to English and Canadian literature.
Qian Zhao, Anhui Business College, Wuhu City

Qian Zhao is Full Professor at Anhui Business College, Wuhu City, 241002 China. His research focuses on literary theory and world literature. His latest publications include “Interpretation of Milan Kundera’s The Farewell Waltz from the Perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism” published in Revista de Letras (2024), “Metaphorical Meanings of Color Symbols in Literature” published in Chinese Semiotic Studies (2024), and “Analysis of the Metaphorical Meanings of Symbols in Milan Kundera’s Novels” published in Semiotica (2023).

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