Gertrude

Gertrude

1. Relationship with Hamlet and his revenge

   • Hamlet blames her for corrupting herself by sleeping with Claudius
     • seems psychologically intent on keeping his mother pure so as not to diminish his father's memory by associating him with an impure wife
       • Janet Adelman: ‘Hamlet’s main task is to remake her in the image of the Virgin Mother who could guarantee his father’s purity’
         • Janet Adelman: 'as an avenger Hamlet seems motivated more by his mother than by his father'
   • Seems to genuinely care for Hamlet and tries to keep him safe as far as she is able
     • 'the Queen his mother/lives almost by his looks'
     • 'in this brainish apprehension kills/the unseen good old man'
       • lies for him and says he is mad even though Hamlet has specifically said he's not
   • some people think that Hamlet's revenge is motivated by his mother
     • 'he that hath kill'd my king and whor'd my mother'
       • the second line carries more emotional weight than the first, and is emphasised by its placement

2. Gertrude and Ophelia

   • On the one hand, Gertrude seems to care for Ophelia and wanted her to marry Hamlet
     • 'I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife'
   • Carol Rutter: pattern of male betrayal that leads Ophelia to her 'muddy death'
     • not just male betrayal, because Getrude is part of this betrayal too
       • although she is also used, she is privy to some of the plotting
         • but might not have been able to speak out in court with the men there
           • her death is part of the pattern of male betrayal
             • Dies by the poisoned cup- bad result of male scheming
       • 'mermaid like awhile they bore her up'
         • why did Gertrude not help her then?

3. Relationship with Claudius

   • 'the imperial jointress to our warlike state'
     • Gertrude has some level of power in Denmark because Claudius views her as an equal ruler (jointress)- unusual but not unheard of (Eliz I, Mary I)
   • Hamlet views this relationship as sexually corrupting
     • 'the second time I kill my husband dead/ when second husband kisses me in bed'
       • preoccupation with sex, and obsession with physicality of sex
         • 'sweat of an enseamed bed'
         • 'paddling your neck with his damned fingers'
       • is she part of the corrupt new world order?
         • Sue Hemming: ‘Fortinbras restores the decorum which has been so shockingly absent in Denmark as Claudius caroused and committed adultery, and Hamlet contemplated suicide’
         • she is a subversion of what is right and proper- Catherine, Arthur and Henry- or part of its restoration by agreeing not to take part in it any longer?
   • used by Claudius/Polonius to further their plans
     • 'let his queen mother all alone entreat him/to show his grief'
       • 'all alone' hints at the fact that H and G had a close relationship

4. Gertrude's guilt

   • 'These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears'
     • feels guilty about the sexual corruption she has undertaken with Claudius- but unlike him stops when she realises she's done wrong
       • acknowledges she's wrong from the beginning
         • 'o'erhasty marriage' A2S2
   • the ghost tells Hamlet not to pursue his mother and appears when Hamlet is getting aggressive with Gertude
     • 'do not forget, this visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose'
       • isn't meant to be pursuing Gertrude but the King
       • 'nor let they soul contrive/against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven, and to those thorns that in her bosom lodge'
         • perhaps then she is not damned?