How Does Gertrude's Change In Hamlet
Gertrude sits highly on her throne as Queen of Denmark, but however royal she may be, she lacks the qualities of a good mother and loyal wife. She provides little to no care towards Hamlet despite her obvious acknowledgement of his sudden change in his personality and attitude. She quickly remarries two months after her husband's death, to her own brother-in-law, disregarding that her son is furious and grief-stricken. ____ How does Queen Gertrude's shallow personality, poor parenting, and turbulent relationship with Hamlet further drive the intensity of the play?
Though she is Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude lacks the qualities of a caring and nurturing parent. Rather than address Hamlet directly about his sudden change in attitude herself,
she sends for two of his childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to come investigate why Hamlet is acting the way he is and to possibly distract him from his madness. However, Hamlet is suspicious and states to his friends, “You were sent for; and there is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties have not craft enough to colour: I know the good king and queen have sent for you.”(2.2) _____ When Gertrude does decide to step up her game as a mother, she only does so when she wants to speak to Hamlet about upsetting Claudius with the play and Polonius tells her what to say: “Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with” (3.4) _______ It is still questionable whether or not Hamlet was genuinely insane or really seeing his father’s ghost, however, Gertrude sees a change in her son’s attitude, but does nothing herself to help him. When Hamlet sees the ghost in his mother’s closet, he quickly shifts his gaze towards the ghost and his mother questions what he is looking at. When Hamlet tells her that it’s his father’s spirit, she simply states:
“This the very coinage of your brain:
This bodiless creation ecstasy
Is very cunning in.” (3.4)
Gertrude thinks that Hamlet is imagining things due to madness.
She is quick to remarry to her brother-in-law just two months after her husband’s funeral, to which a sorrowful Hamlet, is not nearly enough time to mourn, raising his suspicion that perhaps his mother had been unfaithful prior to his father’s death.
Queen Gertrude is almost seen as heartless and shallow, quickly remarrying two months after her husband’s death- and to his brother. Aware that Hamlet is upset about her remarriage, she pays no mind to how he feels. This drives Hamlet mad which is why when he is in her closet/chamber room, he whips out his sword the moment he hears a sound behind the curtain, killing Polonius. Hamlet had hoped it was the king, but to his disappointment it was only Polonius.
Though she is Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude lacks the qualities of a caring and nurturing parent. Rather than address Hamlet directly about his sudden change in attitude herself,
she sends for two of his childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to come investigate why Hamlet is acting the way he is and to possibly distract him from his madness. However, Hamlet is suspicious and states to his friends, “You were sent for; and there is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties have not craft enough to colour: I know the good king and queen have sent for you.”(2.2) _____ When Gertrude does decide to step up her game as a mother, she only does so when she wants to speak to Hamlet about upsetting Claudius with the play and Polonius tells her what to say: “Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with” (3.4) _______ It is still questionable whether or not Hamlet was genuinely insane or really seeing his father’s ghost, however, Gertrude sees a change in her son’s attitude, but does nothing herself to help him. When Hamlet sees the ghost in his mother’s closet, he quickly shifts his gaze towards the ghost and his mother questions what he is looking at. When Hamlet tells her that it’s his father’s spirit, she simply states:
“This the very coinage of your brain:
This bodiless creation ecstasy
Is very cunning in.” (3.4)
Gertrude thinks that Hamlet is imagining things due to madness.
She is quick to remarry to her brother-in-law just two months after her husband’s funeral, to which a sorrowful Hamlet, is not nearly enough time to mourn, raising his suspicion that perhaps his mother had been unfaithful prior to his father’s death.
Queen Gertrude is almost seen as heartless and shallow, quickly remarrying two months after her husband’s death- and to his brother. Aware that Hamlet is upset about her remarriage, she pays no mind to how he feels. This drives Hamlet mad which is why when he is in her closet/chamber room, he whips out his sword the moment he hears a sound behind the curtain, killing Polonius. Hamlet had hoped it was the king, but to his disappointment it was only Polonius.