An analysis of Gertrude, Hamlet's Mother Introduction to Gertrude in Hamlet Gertrude is, more so than any other character in the play, the antithesis of her son, Hamlet. Hamlet is a scholar and a philosopher, searching for life's most elusive answers. He cares nothing for this "mortal coil" and the vices to which man has become slave. Gertrude is shallow, and thinks only about her body and external pleasures. Like a child she longs to be delighted. We do not see much of her in daily activity, but if we could we would see a woman enraptured by trinkets and fine clothes, soft pillows and warm baths. Gertrude is also a very sexual being, and it is her sexuality that turns Hamlet so violently against her.

The Ghost gives Hamlet, who is already disgusted with his mother for marrying his uncle such a short time after his father's death, even more disturbing information about the Queen: Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,-- O wicked wit, and gifts that have the power So to seduce!--won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen. (I.V.42-5) Many critics misread the line "adulterate beast" as proof that Gerturde had been the lover of Claudius even before Hamlet's father had died. This would make the Queen a far more loathsome character than Shakespeare had intended, and the rest of the play makes no mention of this adultery. Adulterate, by definition, means to change to a worse state by mixing; to contaminate with base matter. And Claudius has indeed, according to the Ghost, contaminated his precious Gertrude, but this does not mean that Claudius did so before Hamlet's father died.

If Gertrude were an adulteress, she would have been almost certainly been involved in Claudius' plot of murder, and therefore she would be the play's villainess and not its child-like victim. Claudius would believe her to be an accomplice and confide in her, but he does not. Moreover, if it were true, it most surely would be foremost on Hamlet's mind, but when Hamlet confronts Gertrude in her closet and announces all her crimes, he does not once even imply that she has committed adultery. And, as Olav Lokse points out in his book Outrageous Fortune: [The scholar J.W. Draper] also draws attention to the Ghost's complaint that he was "Of life, of crown, of queen at once dispatch'd" (I.v.75), which is echoed by Claudius's "My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen", in III, iii, 55, which may be taken to indicate the sequence in which the pre-play events had occurred. (82) That Gertrude has an aversion to the truth is not in dispute. She lies to herself about the consequences of her actions, and she lies to those around her.

But she lies to protect. Hers are not cruel and wicked falsehoods; hers are white lies that she feels she must tell in order to keep her and those around her safe physically and emotionally. She must tell the King that Hamlet has killed Polonius, but, she does what she can to help Hamlet, telling Claudius that Hamlet "weeps for what is done" when clearly he does not. On the surface it is hard to comprehend why Hamlet, his father, and Claudius all have such a deep devotion to Gertrude. But the qualities that save her from condemnation along with Claudius are subtly woven into the play. She loves Hamlet, and, underneath her shallow exterior, shows great emotion when he confronts her.

Gertrude truly does not know what she has done to make Hamlet so furious, and it is only when he tells her that she understands her actions to be wrong: O Hamlet, speak no more: Thou turn'st my very eyes into my soul, And there I see such black and grained spots As will not leave their tinct (III.iv.88-91) ...O speak to me no more; these words like daggars enter my ears; No more, sweet Hamlet! (III.iv.94-6) There is no reason to believe that Gertrude is lying to appease Hamlet in the above lines. No where else in the play is Gertrude portrayed as cunning or Janus-faced, as is Claudius. Even though Hamlet lashes out at her with all the rage he can muster, Gertrude remains faithful to him, protecting him fron the King. And, although her love for Claudius is wrong by moral standards, she is now his queen, and remains loyal to him.

We see she has the potential for great love -- she wants to protect Claudius from the mob, and she cares deeply about Ophelia and Polonius, and is concerned for Hamlet in the duel even though she has no idea that it is a trap. It is Gertrude's underlying propensity for goodness that redeems her. Her men forgive her for her shallow, sensual nature and her addictions to comfort and pleasure because they see that she is innocent of premeditation. It is sad but fitting that Gertrude meet her end drinking from the poisoned goblet, demanding that she taste what is in the pretty cup, as trusting as a new-born babe. How to cite this article: Mabillard, Amanda. Introduction to Gertrude. Shakespeare Online. 15 Aug. 2008. < > . References Hamlet: Q & A _____ Does Gertrude Lie to Laertes? ... "He is told that his sister was seen to clamber into the willow, upon a branch which broke, out of mere spitefulness says the Queen (1. 174); so she fell thence into the stream, whose moistness Her Majesty attributes to its tears of sympathy.

There, he is informed, they watched her float a while, and heard her sing 'melodiously' some 'snatches of song': at last they saw her sink, down to the 'muddy' bottom of the 'glassy-' surfaced stream: Ophelia was drowned! Laertes might well inquire who the witnesses were. Horatio was responsible for Ophelia's safe-keeping (ii. 75): was it then he that saw and heard all this? No, nor anyone else. The whole passage is absurd, and as undramatic as it could be, if it is regarded as the account of the actual death of Ophelia." Wilbraham Fitzjohn Trench. Read on... _____ Gertrude and the Ghost: Matters of Parental Mind Play in Shakespeare's Hamlet | English Department - University of Maryland Gertrude and the Ghost: Matters of Parental Mind Play in Shakespeare's Hamlet Spring 2012 Next Article Gwen Kelbly Gwen Kelbly is a senior English Language and Literature major at the University of Maryland, College Park and a member of the University's Jimenéz-Porter Writers’ House.

Her critical interests include 19th Century American literature, with a particular focus on Hawthorne and Melville, medieval literature, and Shakespeare studies. Shakespeare’s Hamlet provides a close look at a son’s relationship with his parents, particularly the way a man’s bond with his mother changes after his father dies. Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is haunted by the violence of his father’s death and the unthinking way in which his mother chooses to wed her dead husband’s brother, the new King Claudius. From his first conversation with the ghost of his father, Hamlet learns that Claudius murdered his father and he grapples with the consequences of this knowledge for the rest of the play. It is clear that Hamlet wants to distance himself from his mother and Claudius even before his conversation with his father’s ghost. However, Hamlet’s distress, particularly towards his mother, becomes palpably more intense after King Hamlet’s ghost riddles Hamlet’s mind with questions about Gertrude’s lack of loyalty to her husband.

Mirroring the ghost’s initial preoccupation with Gertrude’s relationship with Claudius, Hamlet confronts his mother during their Act 3 meeting in her private room, and in the second quarto version of the play, laments that she lives “In the ranck sweat of an inseemed bed/ Stewed in corruption, honying, and making loue/ Ouer the nasty stie” (3.4.2469-2471). This vivid depiction of his mother’s sexuality reveals Hamlet’s passionate disgust for Gertrude’s actions. Additionally, it demonstrates the strong impact of the ghost’s initial statements on his son. However, in the first quarto, these lines are omitted from Hamlet’s conversation with his mother and the audience sees a less sexually nauseated Hamlet. Furthermore, the differences between the ghost’s and Gertrude’s lines in the Q1 and Q2 versions of the play demonstrate how Hamlet’s personal distress and anxiety are manipulated by his parents’ contrasting desires. On the one hand, Hamlet strives to avenge his father’s death and kill Claudius, whom he sees as the perpetrator of all the wrongs committed against his family.

On the other hand, Hamlet is overpowered by his conflicting emotions regarding his mother and he seeks an explanation for her lack of loyalty to his father. This struggle between parental forces can be seen in his attitude towards sexual behavior throughout the play. A close examination of the differences between the Q1 and Q2 versions of the ghost and Gertrude reveal that Hamlet’s distress, particularly regarding matters of sexuality and loyalty, directly correlates with the actions and beliefs of his parents. In Q2, the ghost’s poignant descriptions of Gertrude and Claudius’ adultery, and the opacity of Gertrude’s character create a more sexually distressed Hamlet, whereas in Q1, Hamlet demonstrates less sexual frustration due to a less hostile ghost and a more sympathetic mother in Gertrude. From the beginning of the play, in both Q1 and Q2, Hamlet’s loyalty to his father is very clear. During Claudius’ audience with the court, in which he denies Hamlet’s plea to study again at Wittenberg, Hamlet wears a black mourning garment and speaks about his love for his father and the sorrow he still feels regarding his death.

In Q1, Hamlet states that neither his tears nor his wardrobe “Is equall to the sorrow of my heart,/ Him haue I lost I must of force forgoe,/ These but the ornaments and sutes of woe” (1.2.183-185). Hamlet’s emotional respect for his father isolates him from both Claudius and Gertrude and, by choosing to stay loyal to his late father, “Hamlet accepts a course of action and a set of values related to that state” (Hayton 53). In a sense, by choosing to honor his father, Hamlet distances himself from Claudius, both as a father figure and as a king. Furthermore, it can be argued that “to be the legitimate son of the dead king puts him out of joint with the present world of corruption in the Danish court” and Hamlet’s allegiance to his father becomes a highly political gesture (53). In Q2, however, Hamlet’s allegiance to his father puts him at odds with his mother and it effectively leads Hamlet to choose one parent over the other.

Gertrude states that Hamlet should “cast thy nighted colour off/ And let thine eye looke like a friend on Denmarke,/ Doe not for euer with thy vailed lids/ Seeke for thy noble father in the dust” (1.2.248-251). In essence, Gertrude asks her son to think of Claudius and his political future in the court of Denmark, rather than continually fixate upon his late father. Hamlet replies that “Tis not alone my incky cloake coold mother,” demonstrating his first attempt to distance himself from Gertrude (1.2.258). By calling her cold, Hamlet suggests a sense of disdain for the aloofness of his mother and her actions, particularly her dismissal of Hamlet’s sorrow and, arguably, her hasty remarriage. In addition, Q2 Hamlet states, “I haue that within which passes showe/ These but the trappings and the suites of woe,” which demonstrates that Hamlet’s grief is not for show, but stems from genuine love for his father (1.2.266-67).

Furthermore, the difference in word choice in line 267 -- ornaments (Q1) versus trappings (Q2) -- suggests a difference in the intensity of Hamlet’s emotions regarding his father’s death. The word ornaments denotes a degree of ceremonial order, whereas trappings suggests that Hamlet feels completely bound by his grief, a predicament that further separates him from Claudius and Gertrude. The intensity of Hamlet’s sorrow stems from his fervent sense of duty and loyalty to his father, both as a king and as his paternal blood. He “firmly believes in his filial bond to King Hamlet, and in the legitimate values of honour and duty which that paternity imposes upon him” (Hayton 54). It is with this sense of honor and duty that Hamlet separates himself from the dishonor and shame of his mother, Claudius, and the court of Denmark. Act 1, Scene 5 of Hamlet provides the first interaction between Hamlet and his father’s ghost in the play. Through this exchange, the audience sees the start of Hamlet’s transformation from a loving and loyal son to a man with a mission to kill Claudius and so avenge his father’s death.

Furthermore, the ghost of Hamlet’s father plants the seeds of suspicion toward Queen Gertrude in Hamlet’s mind. However, the ghost’s chief desire is for Hamlet to kill Claudius. Although the ghost clearly demonstrates his disappointment in Gertrude’s bad judgment, he does not explicitly condemn her as he does Claudius. This demand for revenge enacts a shift in Hamlet’s persona and causes him to become more like his father over the course of the play. Rather than simply stay a loyal son, “Hamlet feels that he must adapt his own personality to be sufficiently compatible with his father’s,” and the only way to do so is to take action and revenge (Wagner 76). However, Hamlet is derailed from this course of action for a number of reasons, one of which is a growing obsession with his mother’s sexuality, an obsession which, from the audience’s perspective, is stimulated by the ghost in both Q1 and Q2. In Q1, the emphasis of the ghost’s anger regarding the adulterous nature of the new couple is placed primarily on Claudius, rather than on Gertrude.

However, the Q1 ghost does hint at Gertrude’s misconduct in the line “So to seduce my most seeming vertuous Queene” (1.5.516). Though he places the blame for the relationship on Claudius by mentioning the topic of seduction, the ghost clearly questions the virtue of his wife, and this suspicion is passed along to Hamlet. In Q2, the ghost goes further, stating that Gertrude has “decline[d]/ Vppon a wretch whose naturall gifts were poore/ To those of mine” (1.5.737-39). By esteeming his own worth as more valuable than Gertrude’s, the ghost raises questions in the audience about Gertrude’s judgment in regard to both himself and Claudius. By stating that Gertrude was a wretch whose gifts were poor compared with his, the ghost implies, or at least raises the question, that Gertrude was an opportunist, rather than a loving wife.

Furthermore, the Q2 ghost tells Hamlet not to “Let … the royall bed of Denmarke be/ A couch for luxury and damned incest,” a line which seems to direct Hamlet’s thoughts to his mother’s sexual relationship with Claudius in later passages (1.5.767-68). The late king stews over the fact that his brother has replaced him in every way. He passes this anger on to Hamlet and “Shakespeare has already made it clear that both father and son are obsessed with ‘that incestuous…adulterate beast’ Claudius and the lust he shares with Gertrude” (Wagner 79). However, while the ghost’s anger stays directed towards his brother, Hamlet becomes fixated on Gertrude’s sexual desires instead. This fixation can be most aptly seen in Hamlet’s Act 3 encounter with his mother, in which he crudely expresses his disgust for Gertrude’s sexuality. In Q2, which provides the more revolted Hamlet, the prince presents conflicting accounts of Gertrude’s sexuality, somewhat demonstrating his own discomfort in seeing his mother with his uncle.

He argues that “…at your age/ The heyday in the blood is tame, it’s humble,” suggesting that Gertrude’s age should dictate that her sexual desires are minimal (3.4.2452-2453). Q1 Hamlet similarly exclaims “Why appetite with you is in the waine,/ Your blood runs backeward now from whence it came” (3.4.1544-1545). This statement contradicts Hamlet’s earlier accounts of Gertrude, and “in fact, the Hamlet of Q1 says that the same ‘appetite’ that waxed in his first soliloquy is now ‘in the waine’” (Levin 307).

However, in Q2, and less intensely in Q1, Hamlet contradicts this idea of tame blood several times, stating that: If thou canst mutine in a Matrons bones, To flaming youth let virtue be as wax And melt in her own fire, proclaime no shame When the compulsive ardure giues the charge, Since frost it selfe as aciuely doth burne, And reason pardons will… (3.4.2458-2463) This emphasis on the compulsiveness of Gertrude’s relationship with Claudius depicts Gertrude’s sexuality as passionate, shameless, and out of control, qualities which Hamlet clearly rebukes in his line that “reason pardons will.” Furthermore, Hamlet goes on to talk about the “ranck sweat of an inseemed bed” (3.4.2469) and directly refers to his mother and Claudius’ sexual relationship when he describes them “Stewed in corruption, honying, and making loue/ Ouer the nasty stie” (3.4.2470-2471).

In Q2, the audience sees Gertrude’s sexuality through Hamlet’s eyes, and this view of Gertrude “measures the gap between [Hamlet’s] mother’s lust for Claudius and the innocent intensity of her sexual love for Hamlet’s father” (O’Meara 121). While Hamlet clings to the memory of his father’s love for his mother, and hopes that she shared a similar love for him, Hamlet sees the wild passion of Gertrude and Claudius’ relationship and repeatedly lashes out at the injustice of it all. Gertrude does nothing to defend herself against these multiple attacks, but instead pleads that “Thou turnst my very eyes into my soule,/ And there I see such blacke and greeued spots/ As will leaue there their tin’ct” (3.4.2465-2467). Note that while Gertrude does not admit to any particular crime, she does acknowledges the stain of her actions on her soul.

The audience never finds out whether these actions extend beyond what Hamlet sees as her adulterous relationship with Claudius to something as villainous as being Claudius’ accomplice to Hamlet’s murder, and neither does Hamlet. This lack of knowledge greatly distresses Hamlet. Perhaps he channels his anxiety into his obsession with the one crime that he has full awareness of - adultery. Hence, his comments about the “ranck corruption mining all within/ Infect[ing] unseene, confesse your selfe to heauen,/ Repent what’s past, auoyed what is to come,/ And do not spread the compost on the weeds” (3.4.2531-2534). In addition to this advice to repent her sins and to confess, Hamlet tells Gertrude “Good night, but goe not to my Vncles bed,/ Assune a virtue if you haue it not” (3.4.2543-2544).

Hamlet’s obsession with his mother’s sexuality seems to be the chief way that he relates to Gertrude, whose character is so opaque and difficult to judge that Hamlet and the audience are forced to come to their own conclusions about her. In Q1, however, Gertrude is a much more transparent character, particularly in her Act 3, Scene 4 interaction with Hamlet. Q1 Gertrude expresses maternal feelings towards Hamlet and displays more innocence than the Gertrude the audience sees in Q2. For example, Gertrude admits that “But as I haue a soule, I sweare by heauen,/ I neuer knew of this horride murder” (3.4.1582-1583). This profession of innocence in regard to the murder of Hamlet’s father appears only in Q1 and it transforms Gertrude’s character from a mysterious queen to a sorrowful mother.

“Earlier in the Q1 closet scene when Hamlet told his mother that Claudius had murdered her first husband, Gertrude had protested…then had pledged her support to Hamlet” and “this change, as some have noticed, makes the Queen a more sympathetic character, plotting with her son and his friend against the King” (Irace 104-105). Furthermore, Q1 Gertrude is able to resist Hamlet’s accusations, and, thus, Hamlet and the audience believe Gertrude’s innocence with more conviction. Q1 Hamlet seems to begin his rebuke harshly, stating that “If you be made of penetrable stuffe,/I’le make your eyes looke downe into your heart,/ And see how horride there and blacke it shews,” lines which, in Q2, are attributed to Gertrude (3.4.1513-1515). This transfer is particularly interesting because it is presented as an accusation, rather than an admission, and Q1 Gertrude seems more innocent than her Q2 counterpart because she does not take ownership of any misconduct.

Instead, after each of Hamlet’s attacks, Gertrude repeats a plea for Hamlet to stop berating her, saying a variation of the line, “O Hamlet, speake no more” (3.4.1536), or “Sweete Hamlet cease” (3.4.1539). These lines, paired with the direct statement that she had no previous knowledge that Claudius murdered the late King Hamlet, make Gertrude’s character less literarily deep but more theatrical, which is consistent with the theory that the Q1 text is a “memorial reconstruction of an abridgement of the play made for stating” and that, out of the three versions of Hamlet, Q1 is the most theatrically viable (Jones 104). Furthermore, Gertrude’s theatrical righteousness, particularly in regard to the profession of her innocence, allows some of Hamlet’s sexual anxiety regarding his mother to dissipate.

It has been argued “that Q2 is unquestionably superior, dramatically and poetically to Q1,” and that “Q1, on almost every page, in its incoherence, its ellipses, and its divagations, reveals its blundering attempt to render what we find in Q2” Thomas 255). But we have seen that both Q1 and Q2 Hamlet provide an interesting look at Gertrude and the ghost, particularly in relation to the parental conflict that Hamlet feels. Because the Q2 ghost expresses more hostility than the Q1 ghost, Hamlet’s relationship with his mother is visibly altered. Furthermore, Gertrude’s opacity in Q2 makes Hamlet question her innocence more readily than he does in Q1, where Gertrude actually states that she had no previous knowledge of Hamlet’s father’s death. As a result, Q2 Hamlet fixates on his mother’s sexuality and, though Q1 Hamlet also has problems accepting his mother’s relationship with Claudius, Q1 Hamlet seems less sexually distressed. Q1 and Q2 also bear differently on the question of loyalty.

Because Hamlet is influenced both by the ghost’s reproof of the Queen and his mother’s own aloof personality, Hamlet’s state of mind becomes wrapped up in his mother’s lack of loyalty and his own attempt to stay loyal to the late king and avenge his father’s death. However, in the Q1 version of the play, Hamlet’s preoccupation with Gertrude’s disloyalty to her former husband abates when Gertrude proclaims her innocence and agrees to help Hamlet in his plot against Claudius. These differences between the two texts demonstrate how Hamlet’s state of mind and sense of distress over his mother’s sexuality correlate directly with the opacity or transparency and culpability or innocence of his mother. Works Cited Hayton, Alison G. "'The king my father?': Paternity in Hamlet." Hamlet Studies. 10. (1988): 53-64. Print. Irace, Kathleen. “Origins and Agents of Q1 Hamlet.” The Hamlet First Published (Q1, 1603): Origins, Form, and Intertextualities. Ed. by Thomas Clayton. London: Associated University Presses, 1992.

90-122. Print. Kliman, Bernice W. and Paul Bertram, eds. Hamlet. The Three-Text Hamlet: Parallel Texts of the First and Second Quartos and First Folio. 2nd Ed. (2003) New York: AMS Press, Inc. Print. Levin, Richard. “Gertrude’s Elusive Libido and Shakespeare’s Unreliable Narrators.” Studies in English Literature: 1500-1900. The Johns Hopkins University Press. 48(2). (2008): 305-326. Print. O’Meara, John. “Hamlet and the Tragedy of Sexuality.” Hamlet Studies. 10(1-2). (1988):117-125. Print. Thomas, Sidney. “First Version or Bad Quarto?” The Hamlet First Published (Q1, 1603): Origins, Form, and Intertextualities. Ed. by Thomas Clayton. London: Associated University Presses, 1992. 249-256. Print. Wagner, Joseph B.

"Hamlet Rewriting Hamlet." Hamlet Studies. 23. (2001): 75-92. Print. Articles copyright © 2012 the original authors. No part of the contents of this Web journal may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission from the author or The Paper Shell Review. University of Maryland Hamlet: Gertrude | Character Analysis | CliffsNotes Character Analysis Bookmark this page Manage My Reading List Gertrude is a shadowy character with little substance on which to hang a characterization. We can examine her through what others say about her more than through what she says. That she is "th'imperial jointress" to the throne of Denmark indicates that she wields some power and suggests that Claudius ' decision to marry her had political implications. Yet Hamlet indicts all women by calling her fickle — "frailty, thy name is woman." We see through Hamlet the picture of a woman who one day lived obediently and in the shadow of one king to whom she was devoted. The next day she allies herself in love and politics with the polar opposite of the man she formerly called husband.

The most haunting questions about Gertrude's character revolve around whether she knows that Claudius is a criminal. Is she merely a dependent woman who needs to live through her man? Is she a conniving temptress who used her power to conspire with Claudius to kill King Hamlet and usurp Prince Hamlet's ascendancy? No textual references are conclusive. The ghost of King Hamlet calls her his "most seeming virtuous queen." He entreats Hamlet to "Leave her to Heaven / And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge / To prick and sting her." These words could imply that she has reason to be guilty, that she is not blameless. Later, the ghost implores Hamlet to comfort her. "But look, amazement on thy mother sits. / Oh step between her and her fighting soul." Again, he waxes protective of her but implies that she has some reason to be spiritually conflicted.

When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive at Elsinore, she tells them that they have been sent for because of the way Hamlet "hath talked of you," and she promises them compensation fit for " a king's remembrance." She exhibits apparent sincerity in her concern for Hamlet, and yet, even after Hamlet has told her what he knows about Claudius, even after he has shared his fears of the trip to England, even after Hamlet has clearly proven that something is rotten in the state of Denmark, she never opposes Claudius to protect Hamlet. Unless, as some critics believe, she drinks the poisoned wine as an act of maternal protectiveness. Does she know the wine is poisoned? When "the Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet" is she deliberately drinking to prevent Hamlet's death? If Gertrude has overheard Claudius and Laertes plotting, she would know all. If she is in Claudius' confidence, she would be complicit with all his conspiracies. Though Claudius professes love and admiration for Gertrude, he never confides to anyone the extent of their relationship.

Gertrude describes her love for Hamlet when she asks him not to return to Wittenberg. When she shares with Ophelia her hope that the young woman would have married her Hamlet, she divulges her wish for his happiness. However, she never declares any kind of emotion for Claudius, either positive or negative. Ultimately, Gertrude's character remains malleable. In the hands of an astute actor and a clever director, she can come across as either Claudius' co-conspirator or Hamlet's defender. Either interpretation works, if built substantially. Queen Gertrude Character Analysis (Hamlet) | Online Homework Help | SchoolWorkHelper Queen Gertrude Character Analysis (Hamlet) You are here: PDF Analysis #1 Gertrude is a character in the Shakespearian play Hamlet. She is the mother/aunt of Hamlet, and she is also the wife/ex-sister-in-law of King Claudius. In the play Gertrude demonstrates many characteristics and traits as the play progresses.

She is a very caring character when Hamlet is thinking about going back to Wittenberg for reasons that are unknown, Gertrude tells Hamlet, “Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet; I pray thee stay with us; go not to Wittenberg" (1.2,18-19). She is also confused because she wants to love two people who dislike each other, Hamlet and Claudius, so she tries to satisfy both men. After Hamlet stabs Polonius to his death, Gertrude goes to Claudius, “Branish apprehension kills the unseen good old man" (4.1.11-12). After Hamlet tells her that he is only acting mad, she lies to the king when he asks if Hamlet is fine, “Mad as the sea and wind when both contend" (4.1.7). Thus showing how she is trying to help both her love ones by distrusting one and lying to the other. Throughout the play she is known as an ignorant character because she is not aware of anything that is happening.

She is not aware that King Hamlet’s murder was by his own brother Claudius, even when all of Denmark was already suspicious of Claudius. Another situation that she is unaware of is when Claudius and Laertes make plans to put poison into Hamlet’s goblet, which ends up killing her. Overall her ignorant trait causes her death. Gertrude is express as a sexually active woman in the play as Hamlet’s Soliloquy tells, “She married; O most wicked speed, to post" (1.2.156). Another situation where Hamlet assumes she remarries for her sexual needs, “O shame! Where is thy blush? Rebellious hell, if thou canst mutine in a matron’s bones, to flaming youth let virtue be as wax" (3.4.82-84). One of Hamlet’s feelings throughout the play is rage. The cause of Hamlet’s rage would be Gertrude, for her hasty marriage and her mourning are not long.

Hamlet vents his anger about it by insulting his mother, “Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, stew’d in corruption, honeying and making love over the nasty sty—“ (3.4.91-93). Therefore Gertrude helps build Hamlet’s personality. Gertrude’s actions also help Hamlet with his drive to kill Claudius. Gertrude is Hamlet’s shield. She protects him as a hawk would protect its babies. If Gertrude was not Hamlet’s mother or of royalty, than Hamlet would be dead. Laetes and Claudius are having a private discussion when Leartes asks why he has not murdered Hamlet yet, Claudius answers “The queen his mother lives almost by his looks; and for myself—my virtue or my plague, be it either which—she’s so conjunctive to my life and soul" (4.7.11-14). Another incident where Gertrude protects Hamlet, without realizing, is when she drinks Hamlets goblet which is mixed with poison. This is what could have killed Hamlet if he did not get cut by the rapier and thus she is Hamlet’s shield.

Hamlet dies after she dies because now Hamlet is defenseless and cannot hide behind her for protection, his shield is broken. In conclusion Gertrude is a strong character in the play and affects the plot. She is a loving caring character and wants everyone to get along with each other. Gertrude also symbolizes Hamlet’s shield and protection. Analysis #2 Hamlet features many central characters, each following their own shifting paths based around their own actions. One of these characters, the Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, tends to stir the plot with her own ill-thought actions. This is not to say that Gertrude means to cause harm, she is simply not the brightest character in this play. Gertrude’s first action in the play is marrying Claudius, an action which sets a disturbed young Hamlet over the edge with her incestuous marriage to his uncle. Without her knowledge, Gertrude causes the main problem in Hamlet’s life, and she does so only thinking about herself and her adulterous ways. Shakespeare portrays her as a sexually driven, almost ditzy character. She tends to not think beyond her own pleasure, which causes more problems than she notices, especially with her son, Hamlet.

“Gertrude is the antithesis of her son. Hamlet is a scholar, and brightly witted, where Gertrude does not think before she acts, she simply does." (Amanda Mabillard in Shakespeare’s Gertrude) Many of the characters in Hamlet follow a recognizable path through the play, shifting and changing around events. Gertrude, on the other hand, stays mostly a flat line, ignoring the cries of her son and yielding to Claudius’ wants. She stays this way until Hamlet tells her how he feels, and even then, she does not react in a very big way. Even after Hamlet stabs Polonius, she is still removed from the situation, struggling to digest what Hamlet is telling her. At most, she seems surprised, but not realizing that she has caused Hamlet’s actions. “She is a very caring character when Hamlet is thinking about going back to Wittenberg for reasons that are unknown, Gertrude tells Hamlet, “Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet; I pray thee stay with us; go not to Wittenberg" (1.2,18-19).

She is also confused because she wants to " (Phil Anderson of schoolworkhelper.net, Queen Gertrude Character Analysis (Hamlet)) Mr. Anderson interprets the quote deeper to come to the conclusion that Gertrude is actually trying to protect Hamlet, but not seeing that she is actually harming him. Anderson also says that she is trying to “love two people who dislike each other, Hamlet and Claudius, so she tries to satisfy both men," but only succeeds in satisfying her new King, while a mortified Hamlet struggles to cope in the background. Probably one of the most reputable sources for Shakespeare Analysis is Oxon Pseud, a studied scholar and published author. In his book An Analysis and Study of the Leading Characters of Hamlet, he says “Gertrude was in no sense an accomplice of Claudius. Of her husband’s murder she knew nothing, till Hamlet denounced Claudius as a murderer." Pseud also goes on to give examples of her innocence. The ghost says nothing of her guilt. The ghost says that Gertrude is adulterous and lustful, but never guilty.

Another point in Hamlet in III.iv., would not have merely denounced her second marriage, had he not considered her guilty of murder, a far more heinous crime. Also, The king never treats Gertrude as an accomplice. Indeed she is by no means the sharer of all his secrets. Gertrude also never lets drop a word from which her guilt can be inferred. Though she speaks sparsely, in her dialogue she never mentions that she married Claudius out of spite for her late first husband. Also, if she were an accomplice to the murder of Hamlet Sr., in the least degree, her conscience, which has great power over her, would have made her show it. If she were guilty, her consummate self-command in concealing that fact entitles her to be regarded as the strongest character in the play, whereas in all other respects she is one of the weakest. Oxon also tells of her guilt: She has committed adultery, she has remarried with indecent haste, she has cast a slur on her son by her misconduct and other reasons. All scholars seem to agree on one point: Gertrude does not mean harm, but still causes harm to those around her.

Orah Rosenblatt in her Gertrude in Hamlet, Critical Analysis Essays, says “Gertrude is a woman who means no harm but whose poor judgment contributes greatly to the terrible events that occur." In Hamlet, Gertrude’s ill-thought actions cause many events to unfold, including the accidental murder of Polonius. Orah also brings to the surface another excellent point: “There are only two female characters in the play, and neither one–Gertrude or Ophelia–is assertive." Orah points out that none of the women in Hamlet seem to have a say over what happens to them, and they only cause more issues than they prevent. This could also be an inside look into Shakespeare’s own views on women. “We first realize in Act I, Scene 2 that poor judgment is her major character flaw. As the mother of a grieving son, Gertrude should have been more sensitive to Hamlet’s feelings. Instead, less than two months after King Hamlet’s death, Gertrude remarries Claudius, her dead husband’s own brother." Gertrude is portrayed as a loving mother, but not necessarily the most outwardly thinking.

Any normal mother or even human being would have realized the issues that Hamlet was facing and would have tried to help. As Hamlet said, “O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! (I.ii 156-157)" This quote serves as an excellent outline for why Hamlet is so upset. Delving deeper into Gertrude’s relationship with Claudius, Sasha Safonova in her Character Analysis of Gertrude in Hamlet explains how Hamlet’s mother’s incestuous relationship destroys his life and others. “Gertrude’s decision to marry her brother-in-law allows for great controversy among her surrounding society. Most importantly, this movement hurt her son Hamlet. Gertrude’s unsafe situation made her go against the society’s rules and quarrel viciously with her child." Gertrude does not realize how taboo and harmful her relationship is with Hamlet’s once Uncle, now Father. She can almost be seen as a modern day “stereotypical dumb blonde," though there is no indication as to her hair color. It’s almost pitiful how unaware Gertrude is throughout the entire play (until Hamlet tells her otherwise) about the situations she creates.

Though she may not mean harm, Gertrude does manage to cause harm to those around her. Her lackadaisical thinking patterns eventually end in her downfall, when she drinks the poisoned wine meant for Hamlet. Much in the same way Polonius’ character flaws lead to his death, Gertrude’s do to her, too. There is a term in Sociology which describes what Hamlet is going through after seeing his mother’s actions. The term is Grandiose Self, which can defined: As a child, you see your parents as perfect. When they show weakness, you reflect that upon your own faults and actions. Gertrude is certainly not in any way a flawless mother, leaving Hamlet with a shattered matriarchal figure and lost at what he should be feeling. It could also be argued that Gertrude employs the use of Cognitive Dissonance, meaning that, though she knows incest is wrong, she creates a new belief system or rationalization in order to justify her new relationship with Claudius. It has also been noted by many scholars that Gertrude may have been an alcoholic, concerned only with herself, explaining her narcissistic actions. Gertrude is almost a textbook narcissist.

She does not see the world outside of herself, and she does not care about what happens to others as long as she can derive pleasure from her actions. Her lack of empathy or outside thought provide enough evidence for readers to conclude that she does display narcissistic characteristics. Gertrude may not have as much stage time in the play Hamlet, but she is still a pivotal character in her actions and how her actions effect others, namely, Hamlet. Like scholars say, Gertrude does not mean harm, but instead causes ill events to unfold because of her lack of outside thinking. Gertrude is more than just ‘Hamlet’s mom,’ she is her character, like all of the other central characters in Hamlet. Her actions cause a beautifully crafted domino effect that collides with other characters’ in the play to come to a grand finale. Bibliography Anderson, Phil. Queen Gertrude Character Analysis (Hamlet). St. Rosemary Educational Institution, August 4, 2010. Web. Retrieved on: Tuesday 1st May 2012. Mabillard, Amanda. Shakespeare’s Gertrude. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000.

April 25th 2012 < Pseud, Oxon. An Analysis and Study of the Leading Characters of Hamlet. #v=onepage&q=Analysis%20of%20Hamlet&f=false February 12, 1885. Retrieved April 29th, 2012. Rosenblatt, Orah. Gertrude in Hamlet. Critical Analysis Essays. #hamlet. December 20th, 1992. April 29th, 2012. Safonova, Sasha. Character Analysis of Gertrude in Hamlet. Article Myriad. 15 January, 2012. April 28th, 2012. Related posts: Gertrude – The Cry review - Entertainment Focus Gertrude – The Cry review 8 0 0 0 Gertrude – The Cry is a reinterpretation of Hamlet from the perspective of his eponymous mother. As one of Shakespeare’s works most heavily criticised for the role of women, it is interesting that here the Hamlet story is reworked with a feminist look at sex and objectification.

Originally performed at Elsinore Castle in 2002, the play will be in Theatre N16, Bromley, until the end of June. It is performed in a traverse stage – a catwalk of sexuality: one minute in and you’ve got Gertrude and Claudius making love on top of King Hamlet – their dying husband/brother respectively. If nipples or incest offends you, this might be a tough two hours. The story goes on from here, and while staying loosely parallel to the events of Shakespeare’s longest play, it very much takes ownership of itself with new characters (replacing the Polonius family who are nowhere to be seen), plot twists and structure. I thought this was an interesting approach – it would have been one thing to give Gertrude more back story and motivation to fit into Hamlet, but wiping the canvas clean allowed it to get even dirtier. Perhaps by doing so, Gertrude – The Cry is making a statement that Shakespeare’s original plot could never have truly made for a feminist play. Credit: Roy Tan The language of the script is halfway between Shakespearean and the current British vernacular. This creates an authentic tone whilst also not being ridiculously hard to follow.

That said, you do need to stay switched on – as with a real Shakespeare play, every line is densely packed with imagery and a relevant message. One criticism I have regarding language is that the C-bomb is overused – while the word was used for a pun in Hamlet, here it is said frequently and almost throwaway. While perhaps the intention may be something along the lines of claiming back the word, it does distract, and at times feels as though its only purpose is to shock the audience enough to hold their attention. The play deals with feminist issues of sexuality, e.g. how dressing promiscuously is not an invitation for sex, the assumption that all women’s goals should be to attract men and the analysis of sex as a power. There’s a lot of thought-provoking stuff there, and while challenging, it’s never incomprehensible. That said, there are times when the play gets wrapped up within its own didacticisms that we become detached from those articulating them – the final act is a bit messy, and I felt I did not know the characters any better than I did from ten minutes in.

Izabella Urbanowicz plays the role of Gertrude very well, making a sometimes loathsome character so easy to champion or feel sorry for. Another notable mention should go to Jamie Hutchins, who completely captures all of Hamlet’s inner conflict and uncertainty – “the world is full of things I do not understand.” The cast all bring something to the table, and collectively, manage to strike a few notes of humour among all the shouting, jealousy, murders and blow jobs. If you’re a fan of Hamlet and find new takes on literature interesting, this is probably one you should see. The plot is not particularly inspired, and yet it does allow for Gertrude’s character to be explored more fully. Sure, you’ll be relieved to get out into the cold air afterwards, but with a captivating lead performance and some serious feminist exploration, Gertrude – The Cry revels in its own intensity. Sex is power after all.

Cast: Izabella Urbanowicz, Alexander Hulme, Jamie Hutchins, Stephen Oswald, Liza Keast, LJ Reeves, David Zachary Director: Chris Hislop Writer: Howard Barker Theatre: Theatre N16 Duration: 2 hours straight through Performance Dates: 12th June – 30th June Review summary SparkNotes: Hamlet: Analysis of Major Characters Analysis of Major Characters Themes, Motifs & Symbols Hamlet Hamlet has fascinated audiences and readers for centuries, and the first thing to point out about him is that he is enigmatic. There is always more to him than the other characters in the play can figure out; even the most careful and clever readers come away with the sense that they don’t know everything there is to know about this character. Hamlet actually tells other characters that there is more to him than meets the eye—notably, his mother, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern—but his fascination involves much more than this. When he speaks, he sounds as if there’s something important he’s not saying, maybe something even he is not aware of. The ability to write soliloquies and dialogues that create this effect is one of Shakespeare’s most impressive achievements.

A university student whose studies are interrupted by his father’s death, Hamlet is extremely philosophical and contemplative. He is particularly drawn to difficult questions or questions that cannot be answered with any certainty. Faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, evidence that any other character in a play would believe, Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle’s guilt before trying to act. The standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” is simply unacceptable to him. He is equally plagued with questions about the afterlife, about the wisdom of suicide, about what happens to bodies after they die—the list is extensive. But even though he is thoughtful to the point of obsession, Hamlet also behaves rashly and impulsively. When he does act, it is with surprising swiftness and little or no premeditation, as when he stabs Polonius through a curtain without even checking to see who he is. He seems to step very easily into the role of a madman, behaving erratically and upsetting the other characters with his wild speech and pointed innuendos. It is also important to note that Hamlet is extremely melancholy and discontented with the state of affairs in Denmark and in his own family—indeed, in the world at large.

He is extremely disappointed with his mother for marrying his uncle so quickly, and he repudiates Ophelia, a woman he once claimed to love, in the harshest terms. His words often indicate his disgust with and distrust of women in general. At a number of points in the play, he contemplates his own death and even the option of suicide. But, despite all of the things with which Hamlet professes dissatisfaction, it is remarkable that the prince and heir apparent of Denmark should think about these problems only in personal and philosophical terms. He spends relatively little time thinking about the threats to Denmark’s national security from without or the threats to its stability from within (some of which he helps to create through his own carelessness). Claudius Hamlet’s major antagonist is a shrewd, lustful, conniving king who contrasts sharply with the other male characters in the play. Whereas most of the other important men in Hamlet are preoccupied with ideas of justice, revenge, and moral balance, Claudius is bent upon maintaining his own power. The old King Hamlet was apparently a stern warrior, but Claudius is a corrupt politician whose main weapon is his ability to manipulate others through his skillful use of language.

Claudius’s speech is compared to poison being poured in the ear—the method he used to murder Hamlet’s father. Claudius’s love for Gertrude may be sincere, but it also seems likely that he married her as a strategic move, to help him win the throne away from Hamlet after the death of the king. As the play progresses, Claudius’s mounting fear of Hamlet’s insanity leads him to ever greater self-preoccupation; when Gertrude tells him that Hamlet has killed Polonius, Claudius does not remark that Gertrude might have been in danger, but only that he would have been in danger had he been in the room. He tells Laertes the same thing as he attempts to soothe the young man’s anger after his father’s death. Claudius is ultimately too crafty for his own good. In Act V, scene ii, rather than allowing Laertes only two methods of killing Hamlet, the sharpened sword and the poison on the blade, Claudius insists on a third, the poisoned goblet.

When Gertrude inadvertently drinks the poison and dies, Hamlet is at last able to bring himself to kill Claudius, and the king is felled by his own cowardly machination. Gertrude Few Shakespearean characters have caused as much uncertainty as Gertrude, the beautiful Queen of Denmark. The play seems to raise more questions about Gertrude than it answers, including: Was she involved with Claudius before the death of her husband? Did she love her husband? Did she know about Claudius’s plan to commit the murder? Did she love Claudius, or did she marry him simply to keep her high station in Denmark? Does she believe Hamlet when he insists that he is not mad, or does she pretend to believe him simply to protect herself? Does she intentionally betray Hamlet to Claudius, or does she believe that she is protecting her son’s secret? These questions can be answered in numerous ways, depending upon one’s reading of the play. The Gertrude who does emerge clearly in Hamlet is a woman defined by her desire for station and affection, as well as by her tendency to use men to fulfill her instinct for self-preservation—which, of course, makes her extremely dependent upon the men in her life.

Hamlet’s most famous comment about Gertrude is his furious condemnation of women in general: “Frailty, thy name is woman!” (I.ii.146). This comment is as much indicative of Hamlet’s agonized state of mind as of anything else, but to a great extent Gertrude does seem morally frail. She never exhibits the ability to think critically about her situation, but seems merely to move instinctively toward seemingly safe choices, as when she immediately runs to Claudius after her confrontation with Hamlet. She is at her best in social situations (I.ii and V.ii), when her natural grace and charm seem to indicate a rich, rounded personality. At times it seems that her grace and charm are her only characteristics, and her reliance on men appears to be her sole way of capitalizing on her abilities.

Character Analysis of Gertrude in Hamlet By Sasha Safonova Home » Literature » Poetry » Character Analysis of Gertrude in Hamlet By Sasha Safonova Character Analysis of Gertrude in Hamlet By Sasha Safonova Posted by Nicole Smith , Jan 15, 2012 Poetry Comments Closed Print Many describe The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark as the most mature and complex play in Shakespeare’s repertoire. Thorough studies and research exist on topics which touch upon numerous diverse facets of Hamlet. The author developed a range of characters which has fascinates thousands of readers and watchers of the play for four centuries. The most studies and discussions concern the protagonist, Hamlet, who finds himself in a particularly difficult situation. However, the protagonist is not the sole person facing a moral crisis in the story. In the Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, is obligated to confront her personal values, by sacrificing her son’s favorable disposition to herself, in order to survive in the situation of which she finds herself a victim. The greed for power that drives Claudius to assassinate his brother puts both Hamlet and Gertrude into a noticeably hazardous situation.

Hamlet being the next successor, and Gertrude being his mother, presented a danger for Claudius; as a king, he would not hesitate to get rid of these two powerful persons in Denmark. Hamlet follows his own path to defending himself. In order to protect herself from Claudius’ malicious attempts to completely secure his authority in the kingdom, Gertrude makes up an air of a loyal and loving wife to Claudius. Shakespeare draws a clear line of thought about the new King’s readiness to take any sort of action necessary to free him of those who jeopardize his authority on the throne. After sending Hamlet to England, Claudius admits directly to the audience: “thou mayst not coldly set/ Our sovereign process, which imports at full,/ By letters congruing to that effect,/ The present death of Hamlet.” The King plainly plans for an assassination for Hamlet. That gives the readers evidence that, if needed, that person would not hesitate to terminate a similar procedure for his new wife. Realizing this temperament of the late husband’s murderer, Gertrude marries him shortly after the late Hamlet’s death. Gertrude’s decision to marry her brother-in-law allows for great controversy among her surrounding society.

Most importantly, this movement hurt her son Hamlet. Gertrude’s unsafe situation made her go against the society’s rules and quarrel viciously with her child. Had Claudius not killed his brother, Hamlet’s moral state would have been more stable. Gertrude would not have had the burden of her sins against Hamlet and herself. During the famous scene in bedroom where Hamlet shares his feelings with her, the mother begs: “O Hamlet, speak no more:/ Thou turn’st my eyes into my <very> soul,/ And there I see such black and <grained> spots/ As will <not> leave their tinct (Act III, scene iv, lines 99-102).” Both Hamlet and Gertrude experience extreme pain from their situation. Claudius puts their lives into jeopardy. In the end of the play, both lives end from the hand, directly or not, of Claudius. Until Hamlet speaks with his mother about his feelings directly, Gertrude sincerely does not realize her guilt in hurting her son. In act III, Hamlet meets with his mother in a hot-blooded discussion of their altered relationship.

The words of Gertrude show her remorse for her past actions: “O speak to me no more;/ these words like daggars enter my ears;/ No more, sweet Hamlet! (Act III, scene iv, lines 107-109).” These lines present no clear evidence of Gertrude’s awareness of her son’s suffering and the unrighteousness of her previous actions. Additionally, Shakespeare does not portray the woman as deceiving or hypocritical anywhere in the play. During her last moments, Gertrude says: “O, my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I am poisoned (Act 5, scene ii, lines 340-1).” She loves her son throughout her life, until the very end. We cannot justly blame Gertrude for her actions by building reasoning on the consequences of her behavior without considering her possible feelings. Hamlet is, arguably, the most complex, the most controversial creation of Shakespeare. There are numerous interpretations to its text. Some lie in questions about the doubtful existence of Hamlet’s madness or its origins. Many clues about the young man’s behavior lead to that of his mother’s.

Many readers interpret Gertrude’s actions as lustful, greedy, ignorant, or egotistic. However, there is not a single interpretation of Shakespeare’s works, and especially – Hamlet. It is important to consider each person’s possible thoughts and feelings which precede certain decisions they make. In Gertrude’s case, it may have been her wish to go into a marriage with Claudius soon after her dead husband’s death. Although an argument can be made otherwise, Gertrude could have been a victim of an unlucky situation, which led her to anger her son, put herself into unpleasant positions, and cause trouble in Denmark. The Tragedy of Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark is a smart construction of a web of misfortunes in all the characters’ lives. The kingdom of Denmark goes through a great struggle to come to a double-sided end: there is a tragedy in the face of multiple deaths. However, the most mature play of Shakespeare’s ends in a happy mood, as well, through the creation of a prospective into a new life in Denmark, a life under the rule of Fortinbras. Gertrude in Hamlet (Click the character infographic to download.) Poor Hamlet.

All he wants is a mom who bakes cookies for the PTA bake sale and stays true to his dad's memory—but instead, she marries her dead husband's brother, King Claudius. Is this really an act of betrayal to her husband's memory? Or is mom just not ready to be a widow shut up in some corner of the palace? Ask Me No Questions Oh, Gertrude. We've got a lot of questions about this lady. She's obviously a central figure in the play —Hamlet spends a whole lot of time dwelling on her incestuous marriage to Claudius —but we know practically nothing about her motivations or feelings. Was she having an affair with Claudius before the death of Old Hamlet? Does Gertrude know that Claudius killed her former husband? Why does she drink the poisoned wine her husband has prepared for her son? Does she know it's poisoned? Or, is she just really thirsty? Let's take these one at a time. Big Old Cheater? First things first: Was Gertrude stepping out with Claudius while Old Hamlet was still alive?

The Ghost all but accuses her of adultery and incest when he calls her new husband, Claudius, "that incestuous, that adulterate beast" (1.5.49). Okay, it seems clear Gertrude's guilty of adultery (cheating on one's spouse) right? Well, maybe not. In Shakespeare's day, " adulterate " could refer to any sexual sin (like incest), not just cheating. But, if you really want to argue that Gertrude's a big old cheater, be sure to check out the ghost's emphasis on the marriage "vow" he made to Gertrude (1.5.56): he says that there was a "falling-off" from him to Claudius, which sure seems to imply that she was cheating on Old Hamlet while he was alive—and just maybe even plotting with Claudius. Big Old Murderess? Next question. Did Gertrude know her late husband was murdered by her new man? On the "No way!" side, the Ghost never accuses Gertrude of murder—just adultery.

Also, Gertrude seems pretty surprised when Hamlet accuses her of "kill[ing] a king and marry[ing] with his brother" (3.4.35). (Although we might suggest that, if she doesn't know, she might be kind of dumb.) On the other hand, we could also argue that Gertrude is surprised because, well, she's been caught. Take your pick. Self-sacrificing Mother? Finally, does Gertrude know she's chugging poisoned wine in the play's final act? Surprise! Again, Shakespeare doesn't exactly make things clear. She goes to drink; Claudius tells her not to, and she says: "I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me" (5.2.318). Is she apologizing for drinking when he tells her not to? Does "I will" mean, "I'm going to take to control of my own destiny for once"? Or is she just thirsty? In Laurence Olivier's film adaptation of Hamlet , Gertrude drinks knowingly, presumably to save her son from certain death.

If she drinks on purpose, then she's the self-sacrificing mother Hamlet has always wanted her to be. But we're not convinced that the rest of the play has shown her to be self-sacrificing at all. If nothing else, this moment reminds us that Gertrude is much more complex than Hamlet understands; she's more than just morally "frail" (1.2.150). Gertrude's Sexuality Hamlet is unhealthily obsessed with his mother's sex life (which raises the question: is there any healthy way for a son to be obsessed with his mom's sex life?). Early on in the play, we learn that Gertrude's "o'erhasty" and incestuous marriage to Claudius has shaken up Hamlet's world, leaving him with a sense that the world is contaminated, like an "unweeded garden" that's "rank and gross in nature" (1.2.139; 140). In fact, he might even be more disturbed by Gertrude's sexuality than the news of his father's murder.

Even though the ghost warns Hamlet "Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive / Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven" (1.5.92-93), Hamlet just can't seem to leave his mother alone. One final question: does this tell us anything useful about Gertrude? Or does it tell us a whole lot more about Hamlet?

Question: Gertrude was the mother of which eponymous Shakespearian character?
Answer: HAMLET