Frailty, thy name is (no longer) woman
FRAILTY, thy name is woman – it is a famous quotation from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. It is a poetic way of saying, “women are frail” or “you are as frail as any woman,” but with a dramatic turn of phrase. It depicts an emotional outburst by a fictional character in a work of fiction.
The hero, being disgusted with what he considers to be libidinous in his mother, develops a hatred for women in general. He alludes to intrinsic weaknesses in women’s character.
He refers to his mother as spiritually, morally and physically flimsy and frail due to her lewd unfaithfulness to remarry after her first husband’s death.
In the modern world, “frailty, thy name is (no longer woman)”. She is a life giver and magic creator.
She smiles with strength through sorrows. She’s beautiful in every stroke, from birth to final light.
She’s the colour of night. A modern woman is not defined by a man and has her own story that distincts her.
She’s a flower that blooms in all seasons. She should be celebrated in all her splendour. Every year March 8th is celebrated as International Women’s Day.
It is a global day that celebrates and appreciates the social, political and cultural achievements of women around the globe.
This day helps in raising awareness against bias and taking action for gender equality.
International Women’s Day is not just linked with one gender, but it unites different brands, governments and non-governmental organisations.
Women and men are differently built, they have different traditions and rules imposed by society on them and have different motivations in life.
We need to understand and accept the differences.
Women are different by design and there is no greater or lesser in this – women are complimentary entities in nature! Women are delicate but not frail.
They deserve to be recognized, appreciated and loved. Women have, no doubt, progressed in almost every field of life.
They have been poets, painters, teachers, doctors, philosophers, politicians, military personnel and what not.
The sentence, “frailty, thy name is woman”, may also refer to lack of chastity in women.
But, in this respect, too, chastity or its absence is not a class quality; it completely depends on the nature of any individual.
Hamlet (the hero) is prejudiced against women when he ascribes frailty to women alone and not to men. A woman influences and is a reflection of society.
We are living in a galaxy made up of energy. Everything within our world is an amalgamation of the interaction of the male and female polarities. Each polarity, both; contrasts and compliments the other.
Both men and women are free to develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by stereotypes, rigid gender roles and prejudices. Their very existence is reliant upon one another.
There was a time when each and every vertical was male dominated, but those days are gone now. Women are making great strides in every field.
By choosing courage, they are conquering every destination.
Women have not been known for their bravery or muscular power, but they have their own special ingredients.
The modern woman is the wonder woman, who has inherited criticism for her gender but remains unbothered by the wicked remarks of the world.
In almost every society, some aspect of power or greatness of a woman is oppressed, abused, distorted, or taken away. Where can a woman truly become herself? It is hard to say.
Men are strong, but does that typically mean women are weak? Women are not weak. Women are not frail. They are the embodiment of strength and virtue in our society.
A woman paints the rainbow and lights the stars. She matches her deeds with words. Woman’s virtue is a song not yet sung by many.
The journey of a woman at any stage of her life can either be fine or cataclysmic, and this majorly depends on what kind of men are around her.
Not everyone can build a Taj Mahal or write poetic verses, but everyone can respect and honour women. We should respect the person, not the gender.
—The writer is an English Literature and Linguistics graduate based in Islamabad.
