What does Elaine Showalter argue about gender in terms of representations of the character of Ophelia in William Shakespeare's Hamlet ?
Correct answer: D. All of the above
- A. It is nearly impossible to represent women as anything other than mad in patriarchal discourses.
- B. Feminist critics need to re-appropriate Ophelia for their own purposes.
- C. Women's tragedies tend to be subordinated to those of men.
- D. All of the above
Explanation
Showalter's discussion of Ophelia connects all three points: patriarchal discourse often represents women through madness, feminist critics seek to reclaim Ophelia, and women's suffering is overshadowed by men's tragedies. Therefore, all of the statements apply.
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