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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.
Role in the play. Gertrude is first seen in Act 1 Scene 2 as she tries to cheer Hamlet over the loss of his father, begging him to stay at home rather than going back to school in Wittenberg. Her worry over him continues into the second act, as she sides with King Claudius in sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to raise the spirits of her son.
Understand every line of Hamlet . Read our modern English translation . Hamlet ’s mother, Claudius ’s wife, and the Queen of Denmark. One of only two female characters in the play (along with Ophelia ), Gertrude’s arc throughout the drama is perhaps most representative of the theme of women.
Gertrude is a character in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, and she is Prince Hamlet’s mother. There are some characters in Shakespeare that defy analysis because they are too difficult to make out, and Gertrude probably heads that list. Is she a “good” person or a “bad” person, or something in-between? Impossible to tell.
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 the Queen of Denmark and Hamlet’s mother. Two months after the death of her first husband, King Hamlet, she marries his brother, Claudius. Her marriage is a source of bitterness...
| |. Gertrude, the complex character in Shakespeare's Hamlet, plays a pivotal role in the events of the play. Her marriage to Claudius and her ultimate fate contribute to the larger themes explored. Is she a victim, a villain, or something in between? Find out in this intriguing tragedy.
