Relevance of the theme of masculinity in the 17th-century Shakespearean play

English IA1

Masculinity has become one of the most emerging topics of sociological investigation. More attention has been drawn to this study area as well as the introduction of journals and online publications, each with their interpretations and understandings of men and masculinity in the 21^st century. Popular forms of media, not only from the modern age but from the time of Shakespeare, explored the ‘crisis of masculinity’ through plays, news articles and films which increasingly deliberate upon the changing meaning of masculinity. The purpose of this essay is to explore the relevance of the theme of masculinity in the 17^th-century Shakespearean play, Hamlet, by comparing it to the more modern BBC TV series Sherlock, and how the protagonists challenged the traditional concept of masculinity.

Modern Englandpeople believed that men were a complete version of the human body, while women were inferior to them. This myth led to certain beliefs surrounding the ‘superior male’ and how he was supposed to act. According to these social constructs, men were to be more courageous and brave than their female counterparts in society. Cowardice and inability to work created the implication that men lacked masculinity and that they resembled the characteristics of the inferior female. Since early modern English culture, male cowardice created problems of both personal and social dimensions. As there was always a level of ‘danger’ that men would display their imperfection through lack of ‘masculinity’.  The perceived looming threat of a chaotic society was still present in obligating men to act per masculine social norms.  This theme is evident in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where the relationship between masculinity and cowardice or inaction is explored. The scenes where Hamlet confronts his grief and accusations of fear is where he experiences a conflict between overthinking and having to act. For example, Act I, Scene II of Hamlet portrays a pivotal moment where Hamlet’s masculinity is challenged when his uncle, Claudius, scolds him for overly grieving the death of his Father:

Claudius. But to persevere
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness, ‘tis unmanly grief,
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,
An understanding simple and unschooled. 
(Hamlet 1. 2. 92-97)
He implies that harbouring lament for the dead and thinking of death “tis unmanly grief” and therefore, a representation of femininity. While chastising him, Claudius directly compares Hamlet’s inaction to his actions at the beginning of the scene:

Claudius. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death
The memory be green, and that it us befitted
To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom
To be contracted in one brow of woe,
Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature
That we with wisest sorrow think on him
Together with a remembrance of ourselves.
Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,
Th’imperialjointress to this warlike state,
Have we, as ‘twere with defeated joy, 
With an auspicious and a dropping eye,
With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,
In equal scale weighing delight and dole,
Taken to wife.
(Hamlet 1. 2. 1-14)

The death of his brother did not prevent Claudius from acting to meet his short-term desires of marrying the wife of his deceased brother and becoming King. Hamlet directly challenges this form of traditional masculinity by being cautious and is portrayed as a rational man who considers the consequences of his actions.

Conversely, Claudius acts impulsively yet decisively to achieve his goals without concern for the consequences and thereby affirming his masculinity.  Arguably, Hamlet’s greatest strength is his intellect. He is proud of his ability to apply reason and logic. He prefers to develop his intellectual capacity as a scholar rather than invest in overt displays of strength and authority that is typical of a masculine figure. Rather than posturing and impulsively attacking Claudius, despite his Father commanding him to be aggressive and bold, he is methodical and patient to ensure his revenge is complete. Similarly, the more modern interpretation of the character of Sherlock Holmes shares these same qualities as Hamlet whereby he detaches himself from the typical ideals of masculinity by completely embracing his intellect and either ignores or remains ignorant of the ‘standards’ of male behaviour.
Today’s benchmark of masculine behaviour in TV series, Sherlock is comparable to the themes present in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  Admittedly, in modern society, younger boys are being taught that they do not need to behave like the stereotypical male. However, the key ideas that men are required to be physically active and suppress emotion have been heavily ingrained in society. Despite this, society today is generally more accepting of those who break away from the male stereotypes. Sherlock Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, has never been known to support the conventional concept of masculinity and is often shown to revel in his eccentricity. His character stands out in a masculine dominated profession. Yet, he is disdainful of the tropes and stereotypes of manhood and views those who are overtly masculine as unimaginative and lacking a level of intelligence. At first glance, Sherlock Holmes appears to share a similar characteristic to typical masculinity in that he views emotions as a weakness. However, this is not because he believes it to be effeminate. He foregoes sentiment and emotion because they are, as he describes, “a chemical defect found in the losing side” (“A Scandal in Belgravia”), which would hinder his ability to observe a case without any bias, allowing him to grasp the facts of a situation better.

Additionally, Sherlock Holmes can often be described as insensitive, which is supported by his disdain for and lack of emotional connections. John Watson, Sherlock’s companion and blogger usually correct Holmes whenever his social ineptitude and inappropriateness comes to light. In the episode, “The Hound of Baskerville”, Holmes, Watson, Henry Knight, and Lestrade are attacked by a dog which was perceived as an evil hound by Knight and subsequently killed by Watson. Knight is pictured to be on the brink of an emotional breakdown when Holmes remarks that the case was “brilliant” (“The Hound of the Baskerville”). Knight had experienced over twenty years of drugging and psychological torture and in this scene with Holmes, is on the verge of suicide. Watson’s correction and warning to Holmes, “Sherlock, timing” (“The Hounds of Baskerville”) further demonstrate the insensitivity of his comment and his incapability to understand the emotions of those surrounding him. Watson highlighting Holmes’s mistake implies that his behaviour is socially frowned upon which appears to go against the sentiment that Sherlock’s Holmes could be the personification of ideal masculinity.

Shakespeare’s iconic character Hamlet and BBC’s Sherlock Holmes both challenge what is considered to be the ideal masculine figure. They both value their intellectual capabilities over their physical prowess and trust in facts and logic rather than aggressiveness and dominance. Sherlock defies the perfect muscular figure because he firmly believes that those who value physical attributes over their mental capacities are inferior to himself and his keen mind. He remains ignorant of acceptable social conducts and finds comfort in his eccentric character, which in and of itself is a contradiction to the ‘accepted’ male figure. Hamlet has his reasons for separating himself from the likes of his Father and uncle.  To achieve his revenge, he was forced to distance himself from society and become isolated. While the general concept of masculinity suggests that men should face their problems head-on, Hamlet slowly considers each course of action before proceeding. His very nature as a scholar and student of philosophy moulded him into a careful and considerate man, as well as fostering a habit of indecision which was the source of his eventual demise. His challenge to masculinity departs somewhat from Sherlock as he cares deeply for his friends and particularly his lover Ophelia, despite some of his actions during his search for vengeance. The connections the two characters share in challenging the masculine stereotype demonstrates the continued relevance of Shakespeare’s work in discussing the human condition in the modern era. Both Hamlet and Sherlock confront the male standard in similar ways with their views on the value of one’s mind over body, however. At the same time, Hamlet feigns madness, Sherlock as a character truly does not respect social norms or understand the concept of ‘fitting in’. They further separate with Hamlet’s ability to display emotion for those he loves and respects, a characteristic not generally seen as masculine, unlike Sherlock, who avoids emotional confrontations.

Overall, Shakespeare’s Hamlet and BBC’s Sherlock Holmes are unique challenges to masculinity in their own stories, and once carefully analysed can be viewed as somewhat similar characters. The correlation between them is a clear demonstration of the value of Shakespeare’s work in the modern era with his understandings of human nature standing the tests of time. It is undeniable that by valuing the power of the mind as well as either ignoring standard social conduct or genuinely caring for those around them, both BBC’s interpretation of Sherlock Holmes and Shakespeare’s Hamlet directly confront the established concepts of traditional masculinity.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/57104/Walrecht_Dissertation%20Final_Student%20Repository.pdf?sequence=1

https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-does-hamelt-address-theme-masculinity-422761

https://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-ideals-of-masculinity-in-the-play-hamlet-by-william-shakespeare-f27kBuhk

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259693976_Understanding_Men_and_Masculinity_in_Modern_Society

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