Accessing Links in Emails

Is there a setting I can change that will allow me to click on a link in an
email that takies me direct to a website? As it is right now, when I click on
the link, the address shows in the window at the bottom of the screen but it
just sits there and never goes to the website or opens the page as well as
freezes the computer for a few minutes and then simply goes back to the
original message.