Recreations of Hamlet, the play by William Shakespeare, often add new elements that represent the culture zeitgeist of their times. However, recreations are not limited to the medium of performance. Described as a “modern remake of Shakespearean plays with a teenage dirtbag cast,” Daniel Ortberg’s internet comic Dirtbag Hamlet reimagines Hamlet’s character as a sullen, confrontational teenager (Ortberg 2014). Of interest is the way that Ortberg recreates the pivotal confrontation between Hamlet and Gertrude in act 3 scene 4 of the original play. In this scene, Hamlet chastises his mother for her marriage to Claudius, demanding that she “[c]onfess [her]self to heaven” (3.4.170). Despite the original length of the scene, Ortberg utilizes minimal dialogue to “redux” this part, only having Hamlet call Gertrude a “slut” (Ortberg 2014). Given the dichotomy between these two scenes, this essay seeks to examine how Hamlet and Dirtbag Hamlet engage with themes of gender and sexuality.

This paper will argue that Ortberg’s recreation of Hamlet parodies the antiquated views on gender and sexuality that are prevalent in Hamlet’s confrontation of Gertrude. For Shakespearean audiences, Hamlet’s utilization of patriarchal gender roles and sexuality provided a framework for understanding Gertrude’s “deviance.” Dirtbag Hamlet seeks to subvert those dated ideas by encapsulating Hamlet’s ideas into a single insult, as well as portraying Hamlet as a “dirtbag.” To illustrate this argument, my paper will provide a close reading of Hamlet act 3 scene 4 to illustrate how Hamlet appeals to sexuality and gender to frame Gertrude as deviant. Then, it will analyze how Dirtbag Hamlet changes this scene, and how these changes satirize and subvert Hamlet’s interpretation of gender roles. Finally, it will argue that by parodying these ideas, Dirtbag Hamlet illustrates that these misogynistic ideas are still prevalent in contemporary culture, particularly in online communities.

In act 3 scene 4 of Hamlet, Hamlet berates Gertrude by attacking her not only as a person but along gendered lines, as a wife and a mother. At the beginning of the scene, Hamlet identifies Gertrude as “the Queen, your husband’s brother’s wife / And (would it were not so) you are my mother” (3.4.20-21). Here, Hamlet situates Gertrude’s worth on her ability to be both a good wife and mother, as evidenced by Hamlet’s attacks on her identity – as a wife, she has failed her previous husband (Hamlet’s father) by marrying Claudius in an apparent act of incest. Furthermore, her failure as a mother is illustrated by Hamlet’s desire that she was not his mother. These insults are rooted in gendered norms about how Gertrude, a woman, should act – by failing to be both a good wife and a good mother, Gertrude becomes a deviant character as she subverts these gendered roles. These lines also situate the rest of the scene within these gendered norms – the emphasis placed on Gertrude’s ability as a mother and wife illustrates that the audience is not meant to consider Gertrude outside of her “womanly” abilities. According to Carol Thomas Neely, such ideas were in line with the male-dominated world that Shakespeare constructed in Hamlet. Gertrude does not have autonomy. Rather she is “subordinated to and acting in the service of the patriarchal culture which has shaped them” (Thomas Neely 8). In this way, antiquated gender roles provide the Shakespearean audience a framework through which to understand Gertrude’s deviance – by acting against the interest of Hamlet and the patriarchal culture he is emblematic of, Gertrude becomes a deviant body subject to punishment.

Further evidence regarding the existence of these patriarchal structures can be found in the language that Hamlet utilizes to berate Gertrude. He suggests that her marriage to Claudius “blurs the grace and blush of modesty, / Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose / From the fair forehead of an innocent love” (3.4.50-52). Notions that Gertrude should be both “modest” and “virtuous” fit within the previously discussed patriarchal culture as they apply almost exclusively to the women in the play. As Noel Blincoe suggests, the “union of one flesh” that occurs in marriage persists even after the death of a partner – in this way, Hamlet relies on old, Protestant interpretations of gender and sexuality to cast Gertrude as “deviant,” illustrating the prevalence of gendered norms which saw women as subordinate (Noel 20). Virtue is utilized in a similar fashion – in this context, “virtue” represents a woman’s ability to be chaste, lest they be “liable to violation or sickness” (Berthoff 332-33). By appealing to these distinctly feminine qualities of “virtue” and “modesty,” Hamlet references the patriarchal structures that subordinate Gertrude. The most egregious example of these structures lay in Hamlet’s murder of Polonius – the juxtaposition created by Hamlet’s haphazard slaying of Polonius and his ensuing lecture towards Gertrude demonstrates that Shakespearean women are subject to patriarchal notions that they must be “modest” and “virtuous,” without consideration for their own autonomy. This analysis illustrates the prominent use of gender roles within Hamlet and provides a framework through which to understand Gertrude’s deviance.

Related to the idea of modesty and virtue is Gertrude’s sexuality, which Hamlet routinely emphasizes during their confrontation. Hamlet accuses Gertrude of laying “In the rank sweat of an enseamèd bed, / Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love / Over the nasty sty!” (3.4.104-6). Later, he tells Gertrude not to “[l]et the bloat king tempt you again to bed, / Pinch wanton on your cheek, call you his mouse” (3.4.204-05). Hamlet, by emphasizing the physical act of sex, places emphasis on Gertrude’s body – he references her “cheek”, her “neck,” and how she lays in the sweaty, damp bedsheets after having sex with Claudius (3.4.104-205). In doing so, Hamlet predicates Gertrude’s value on how she uses her body, referencing the broader patriarchal structures that exist within the play. Because Gertrude is exercising her autonomy over her body, she is going against the previously discussed societal norms of virtue and modesty. Hamlet’s endeavours to prevent Gertrude and Claudius’s relationship are thus an attempt to regain control over Gertrude’s body, despite their relationship as mother and son. While some might argue that Hamlet’s sexualization of his mother is oedipal, Gertrude’s sexuality is routinely emphasized – claims that Gertrude is an “adulterer” have led critics to characterize Gertrude as a woman with “no choice but to live adulterously to gratify her ever-increasing urge for coition” (Al-Ali 93). While this is an antiquated view, it fits within the patriarchal framework Shakespeare has provided thus far – references to Gertrude’s ability as a mother and wife, and her lack of virtue and modesty demonstrate the prevalence of antiquated gender roles. As such, Hamlet’s sexualization of Gertrude is not so much oedipal as a manifestation of the misogynistic expectations of how women should act. Hamlet frequently appeals to sexuality and gender to frame his mother as “deviant.” However, Hamlet’s attitudes are not exceptional – they are emblematic of the larger patriarchal culture in Shakespearean society.

Despite its borderline unrecognizable interpretation of Hamlet, Dirtbag Hamlet engages with the same themes of gender and sexuality. However, Dirtbag Hamlet does not endorse the patriarchal views on gender that the original Hamlet does – rather, it parodies these ideas, ultimately subverting them. Before this essay can outline how Dirtbag Hamlet achieves this, it is necessary to outline the changes that Dirtbag Hamlet makes to the original text. The most obvious change is the length of the scene. Just 14 words long, including stage directions, this section of Dirtbag Hamlet is significantly shorter than the original scene. Similarly, Dirtbag Hamlet’s version features only one word of dialogue: “slut,” yelled loudly and for an extended period (Ortberg 2014). The frame has Gertrude walking down the hallway, which Hamlet then enters on a skateboard. As he is skating towards her, he begins yelling “SLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU” – after passing her, he turns around on his skateboard and concludes with “UUUUUUTT.” These changes, although they significantly deviate from the original scene, are essential for understanding how Dirtbag Hamlet satirizes the anachronistic views regarding gender and sexuality in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Firstly, Dirtbag Hamlet’s use of the word “slut” satirizes the ideas expressed in the original play. As previously discussed, Gertrude is perceived to be acting “unethically,” and Hamlet utilizes ‘tough love’ to try and correct her actions. Dirtbag Hamlet mimics this but removes the context and formalities by recreating the scene with little dialogue. By taking this context away, Dirtbag Hamlet strips down Hamlet’s language into a single term: “slut.” While Ortberg does portray Hamlet’s use of the word humorously, this use is emblematic of the misogynistic attitudes present in the original – the use of the word is an exaggerated continuation of the ideas presented in Hamlet. This amplification of this rhetoric highlights the patriarchal attitudes that fuel Hamlet’s confrontation with Gertrude – Hamlet is criticizing Gertrude for violating the perceived expectations of her gender. By doing so, Dirtbag Hamlet condemns Hamlet’s ideas regarding gender and sexuality – Ortberg’s Hamlet’s use of the word “slut” suggests that Shakespeare’s Hamlet was utilizing extremely problematic ideas regarding gender and sexuality, which the “redux” mocks. In conjunction, the parodying of these ideas as well as the amplification of this hateful rhetoric subverts Hamlet’s interpretation of gender and sexuality.

Secondly, Dirtbag Hamlet’s portrayal of Hamlet as a “dirtbag” helps delegitimize the misogynist ideas expressed in the original (Ortberg 2014). In Hamlet, the titular character is presented as a tragic hero – he is essentially coerced into violence despite his desire to utilize his intellect (Levernez 307-8). Because Hamlet is a sympathetic character, audiences are more likely to tolerate, if not agree with his patriarchal views on gender and sexuality. Dirtbag Hamlet does the opposite – instead of portraying Hamlet as a sympathetic character, the comic depicts him as a sarcastic, confrontational “dirtbag.” Physically, Hamlet’s looks indicate his apathy towards others – although there is no specific illustration of the scene between Hamlet and Gertrude, “dirtbag Hamlet” can often be seen in an unflattering green gown, either giving the middle finger to Ophelia or rolling his eyes at his father’s ghost (Ortberg 2014). These physical characterizations of “dirtbag Hamlet” indicate that he is the prototypical “bad boy” who cares little for the feelings of others. This aspect of his characterization is further illustrated by his skateboarding, which reinforces the sense that this Hamlet is “rebellious.” Because Ortberg’s dirtbag Hamlet is not as sympathetic as the original character, the audience does not take him seriously: because it is he who calls Gertrude a “slut,” and only a “dirtbag” would have this opinion, Ortberg ultimately subverting this view. By both utilizing “slut” to parody Hamlet’s views, and by caricaturizing Hamlet’s appearance as a tragic hero, Dirtbag Hamlet satirizes and subverts the ideas on gender and sexuality presented in Hamlet.

Dirtbag Hamlet’s parodying of Hamlet, as well as its use of “slut,” is important because it demonstrates that these ideas are still prevalent in contemporary society. Many Canadians tend to believe that the ideas presented in Hamlet are relics of the past. However, “slut” is a continuation of these ideals – specifically, these ideas have become increasingly prevalent in online communities. As Karla Mantilla writes, “gendertrolling,” defined as purposefully antagonizing or threatening women online, has become increasingly common in online communities such as 4chan (Mantilla 563-4). Gendertrolling is particularly destructive because it utilizes gender-based insults, such as “whore” and “slut,” to “humiliate women, especially in regard to their weight and physical appearance” (Ibid 564). Even though Dirtbag Hamlet portrays the use of “slut” humorously, its use of the word suggests that much of the misogynist rhetoric that is proliferated online is a continuation of the ideas expressed in Hamlet. Illustrating that these ideas are still prevalent is important because these attitudes have consequences. Take the case of Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old girl from British Columbia who committed suicide shortly after she posted an autobiographical video detailing her struggles with cyber-bullying. Renee Penney notes that media coverage became preoccupied with Todd’s “mistake” of flashing her breasts online, despite Todd’s brief mention of the subject in her video (Penney 710-11). This coverage is emblematic of the impact that these patriarchal ideas can have – although Todd was not outwardly characterized as “deviant” for her actions, the media’s fixation on her “mistake” implies that victims can be blamed if they act outside of the traditional notions of gender and sexuality. Dirtbag Hamlet’s parodying of Hamlet’s portrayal of gender and sexuality is important then, because it forces the audience to acknowledge that these ideas are not dead. Rather, they continue to manifest themselves in new ways and inflict harm on a new generation of women.

This essay has argued that Ortberg’s Dirtbag Hamlet parodies Hamlet’s antiquated views on gender. Whereas Shakespeare’s original work utilized antiquated ideas about gender and sexuality to classify Gertrude as “deviant,” Dirtbag Hamlet satirizes these ideals by encapsulating them in a singular insult, and by portraying Hamlet unfavorably. This is important because it demonstrates that the ideas presented in the original Hamlet continue to exist in contemporary society, particularly in online communities. Further research should explore the practical implications of the link between old-age patriarchal sentiments expressed in Hamlet, and new-age “gendertrolling.”

Works Cited

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