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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.
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 ...
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,
Gertrude marries her brother-in-law, Claudius, very shortly after the death of her husband—an action perceived as cruel, obscene, lustful, and opportunistic by her son, Hamlet. In reality, this choice is one of the few options available to a woman of Gertrude’s time: a woman whose political safety and social standing is entirely dependent ...
This interpretation positions Gertrude as a loving wife and mother who is simply making the best of a bad situation.
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 affect others, namely, Hamlet. As scholars say, Gertrude does not mean harm but instead causes ill events to unfold because of her lack of outside thinking.
Themes. Character of Gertrude is tied to several themes of the play. One of the most prominent themes of the play is “appearance vs reality”. Gertrude is portrayed as someone who is easily deceived by appearances. She is also tied to the theme of betrayal, as her marriage to Claudius is seen as a betrayal. Gertrude character symbolism.
