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Essay on Gertrude from William Shakespeare’s play "Hamlet"
As it was mentioned before, Gertrude is shown as a very contrasting character in this play. She may be blamed for her quick marriage and attitude to her son who is very contradictious. In one moment Gertrude feels guilty and also sorrow for what she has done to her son, but at the next moment she does not understand Hamlet and his behaviour. Gertrude may be seen as a bad mother, but I think that she did not know how to act after her husband’s death. She had to marry Claudius, because she needed somebody, who could help her to rule over the Denmark.
Hamlet loved his mother although she married so quickly after his father’s death and did not morn for a long time. At the same time Hamlet understood his mother because as he said that she is just a weak woman without her own thoughts and decisions. I think that exactly Gertrude and her sinful behaviour was the main cause of Hamlet’s behaviour and ‘madness’. Hamlet needed and wanted that his own mother would believe him and help to reveal Claudius’ bad intentions and his fault in King Hamlet’s death, but at the same time Gertrude wanted to feel sure and secure after her husband’s death.
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In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Gertrude is Hamlet's mother and Queen of Denmark. Gertrude’s relationship with Hamlet is somewhat dependent, because Hamlet resisted her marriage with King Hamlet’s brother Claudius after he murdered the King. Hamlet shows his lack of understanding saying to his friend Horatio and yet, within a month - let me not think on’t. - Frailty, thy name is woman! A little month! Or ere those shoes were old with which she follow’d 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 my 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 eyes, she married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good; but break my heart, for I must hold my tongue! With these words Hamlet expresses that he sees his mother as an example of the weakness of women and constantly hurt in his reflections of how quickly she remarried. At the same time Gertrude reveals no guilt