Essay on The Hamlet Project - Gertrude

Gertrude as an Innocent Victim or a Sexually and Morally Corrupt Woman in Hamlet Shakespeare’s character Gertrude is one of much mystery; in relation to this there are many questions that need to be answered to establish Gertrude’s innocence through out the play. Some examples of these questions are, was Gertrude in some kind of relationship with Claudius before the murder of her late Husband and did she know about the murder before or after it was committed? Does she love Claudius or is it just her status that she is protecting? And did she ever love the late King Hamlet?

On William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, after the assassination of his father, Hamlet thinks he is living in a world full of corruption and deceit, where everything is falling apart and everyone is against him. An imminent, exaggerated, and passionate love for his mother is his main feature. Although others argue that Hamlet’s obsession to murder Claudius is strictly to claim revenge for his father’s death, it is Hamlet’s obsessive desire to possess his mother in an unhealthy and, perhaps incestuous, relationship. Hamlet also appears jealous of Claudius, his father-uncle, jealous of him for having Gertrude and for owning the crown. He lives a love-hate relationship with his mother. He is full of anger towards her, but at the same time he

First they think that Hamlet is lovesick over Polonius' daughter, Ophelia, but after the king spies on Hamlet and Ophelia in conversation, he comes to the conclusion that Hamlet is mad, a threat to his rule, and must be sent to England to be executed.  This is a sign of the king's uneasiness over the mettle of Hamlet's anger which is directed towards him.  The last thing that Claudius wants is for Hamlet to be unhappy with him, in fear that Hamlet will overthrow him, discover the murder, or possibly kill him.  The king becomes increasingly nervous as time passes, making him a bit paranoid over Hamlet.

Dearest friends, family and the people of Denmark. We gather here today to mourn the loss of the noble prince, loyal son and true friend, Prince Hamlet. But we are not here only to mourn, but to reminisce the times we have spent with him, both the good and the bad and to remember him as the person he was. Prince Hamlet did not live a very fortunate, on the contrary his final weeks were filled with a tragedy none of us should have to bear, but he lived his life to the full and I am sure that he has, in some way touched the lives of all of us here today.

     Gertrude as well is exploited by men throughout the play. Gertrude is seen as a prize to Claudius, a way for him to succeed to the thrown without having Hamlet take over. Although it is not doubted that he loves her, but he first uses her to get the kingship without question. Claudius has been wooing Gertrude even before the death of the king, which a reason for the “most wicked speed” in which they were married. (Act 1, scene 2. line 156) Gertrude is also used by Polonius, but more so she allows him to spy on her having a discussion with Hamlet. Polonius tells the Queen that Hamlet is coming to her private chambers and that she should have a discussion with him on his lately “unrestrained” acts. She replies to Polonius that she will “warrant” him, and “fear [her] not” for she is on his side. (Act 3 Scene 4 Lines 1-7) Gertrude however is not an unintelligent woman, so a reader would wonder why she would allow herself to be exploited by Claudius. Carolyn G. Heliburn agrees with Gertrude’s intelligence saying that her speeches are “not the mark of a dull and shallow woman.”

On the contrary, Gertrude’s sanity never really becomes a subject of question by any character within the story, but one cannot believe she maintains a healthy state of mind if she considered marrying her husband’s brother. It does not help her case that Claudius killed her husband. She loves him undyingly in a way only a mad person could. Hamlet wonders how on earth she would willingly marry her husband’s brother only two months after his death. “A little month; or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father 's body Like Niobe, all tears; — why she, even she, (O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn 'd longer!) married with mine uncle, My father 's brother; but no more like my father Than I to Hercules: within a month; Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled

William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is perhaps one of his most intriguing and scandalous pieces of work. One character who is liable for much of this excitement and outrage is Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. To some readers and critics, Gertrude is conceived as an erratic, superficial and sensual woman. Others discern the Queen as an earnest, intellectual and sagacious woman whose tragic fault is her yearning for sexual satisfaction. Throughout the text, there are several legitimate arguments for both sides, but in the end, Hamlet seems to sum up the Queen’s true persona with the words “Frailty, thy name is woman”. Evidence of Gertrude’s true nature can be found in many instances through out the play such

Gertrude was Hamlet’s mother. She was a selfish and evil woman. She cheated on Hamlet’s father with Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle. She married Claudius a month after her husband’s death.

Thesis Statement: Gertrude, the wife of late King Hamlet was disloyal to her husband and also responsible for his death.

Likewise she expresses her wishes that the prince “go not to Wittenberg.” Later, when the hero’s supposed “madness” is the big concern, Gertrude analyzes her son’s condition: “I

as he was always off at war…who else to warm the royal bed than the

In an effort to maintain her position as Queen, she marries he recently-deceased husband’s brother, Claudius. Assumedly, unbeknownst to her, Claudius is also the murderer of her first husband, King Hamlet – her son’s, and protagonist’s, namesake. Whether Gertrude was in love with Claudius prior King Hamlet’s death, was involved in the murder, or is completely innocent, is a subject for another debate altogether. This is a topic that has been bandied about for almost as long as the existence of the play, and may never be resolved. What is evident, however, is that Gertrude plays a balancing role between Hamlet and Claudius. Assuming she is unaware of the murder, she is viewed as a mother and peacemaker in a relationship that, in her eyes, is equal parts joyous and melancholy. Her recent marriage is a point to be celebrated. Not only has she maintained her position in court through the joyous occasion of marriage, Hamlet has been confirmed as the next in line to the throne (Shakespeare, 2003, pg. 28). Thus she feels that her role as both mother and wife have been reconciled. Despite this reconciliation of roles, the two remaining men in her life are at odds. Thus, she continues her attempts at reconciliation by shuttling in between both Hamlet and Claudius, while never really committing to one or the other. Though she has chosen to commit herself to Claudius through marriage, she still worries over Hamlet at every

Hamlet’s deep sorrow for the loss of his father must contend with Gertrude’s marriage to Claudius. Hamlet’s primary angst is toward the “most wicked speed” with which Gertrude remarried, after “a little month”. The purpose of this reveals to the audience the context of Hamlet’s desire for revenge. Shakespeare’s use of language further highlights Hamlet’s insanity as he fluctuates between tones of calmness to outrage from “like Niobe – all tears” to “O God! A beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer” when referring to his mother.

The second act of the play’s theme is repercussions of the Fall and broken trust. Prince Hamlet has devoted himself to plotting his father’s revenge, but after spending so much time on such difficult and contemplative issues, he has gone a bit “mad” (both literally and also, for show). His mother, Gertrude, and the new King, Claudius, begin to worry about his behavior. During this time, Polonius, a Lord, suggests that Hamlet is perhaps acting insane because he secretly desires his daughter, Ophelia, and is deeply in love with her. Claudius agrees to spy in on Hamlet and Ophelia as they are conversing to see if what Polonius has said is true and he deduces that Hamlet is mad, alright, but not with love for Ophelia; he orders her to a nunnery and even declares that

Moreover, Gertrude’s timing after the incident and actions she executed, and later on, were interpreted as careless towards Hamlet. As stated in the text, “Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off/… Thou know’st tis common, all that lives must die.” (Hamlet 1.2.68) Provided that, we can imply that Gertrude seemed to have not wanted mourn for long and behaved in a calm manner. For this reason, Hamlet begins to think that Gertrude has moved on quickly knowing that at this point in the play Claudius was already introduced and was in contact with Gertrude. As well as, Gertrude which is the Queen and mother of Hamlet knows has an idea of why Hamlet was acting the way that he did mention that it may because of the father’s death and her marriage with Claudius. With this in mind in the play it demonstrates Gertrude’s negligence, “Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz./My too much changed son. Go some of you,/ and bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.” (Shakespeare 2.2.34) Not to mention, Gertrude seemed to show no interest in handling the situation of Hamlet’s behavior herself nor does she have a personal conversation with Hamlet on her thoughts of the father’s loss.