Hamlet and Gertrude Relation

Introduction

In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, the concept of identity is explored through Hamlet's isolation which is created by the conflict between his duty to his father, and his duties to the monarchy and his peers. Gertrude suffers the same identity questions through her isolation and also that of her sons. The isolation they experience not only is caused by some sort of tragic event, but also provokes many dilemmas in their lives that they both have to work through, but it also results in a lot of trouble, and heartbreak for more than just themselves. The play Hamlet depends on the relationships between the men and the women, however, none is as strong and destructive as the relationship between mother and son. Despite Gertrude's union with Claudius, in the end, her bond with her son proves stronger. She accepts Hamlet's murder of Polonius. She takes her lead from him when confronts her about Claudius, asking “what shall I do?” (280). He is the only one from whom she will accept the truth about her husband.

Discussion and Analysis

In many of his plays, especially tragedies, William Shakespeare examines the relationships people have with one another. Of these relationships, he is particularly interested in those between family members, above all, those between parents and their children. In his play Hamlet, Shakespeare examines Prince Hamlet's relationships with his dead father, mother and step-father. His relationship with Gertrude, one of the only two women in the play, provides Hamlet with a deep sense of anger and pain. Hamlet feels that Gertrude has betrayed his father by marrying with his brother. Throughout the play, he is consumed with avenging his father's death and all the mistreatment the former King had suffered and still suffers after his life is over. Gertrude adds to the dead King's tarnished memory by not mourning and instead rejoicing in her new marriage. Hamlet is thus extremely angry with Gertrude and expresses this anger towards her directly and indirectly through his words, both to himself and to other characters. The first relationship that affects the play is that of Gertrude and Hamlet's father. The strengths and weaknesses in this relationship are the first cause of drama in this story. There is subtle evidence that Gertrude and the king did care greatly for each other - or at least he cared for her. Even his ghost tells Hamlet “Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught” (233). However, the weakness in the relationship may be the downfall of everyone. Her quick marriage seems to cause more anger in Hamlet and his father than the actual murder. Gertrude's actions of marrying her husband's brother after this king was only “two months dead” (I.ii. 138) causes Hamlet's view on love to change. He noted that when Gertrude was with his father “he was so loving to [her]” and “she would hang on him” (I.ii. 140, 143). This is how Hamlet believed true, stable love was to ...