FratFiles

• Save Paper

GERTRUDE IN HAMLET

In Hamlet, Gertrude is a woman who means no harm but whose poor judgment contributes greatly to the terrible events that occur. There are only two female characters in the play, and neither one--Gertrude or Ophelia--is assertive. But the decisions Gertrude does make eventually lead to her death and the downfall of others as well.
We first realize in Act I, Scene 2 that poor judgment is her major character flaw. As the mother of a grieving son, Gertrude should have been more sensitive to Hamlet's feelings. Instead, less than two months after King Hamlet's death, Gertrude remarries Claudius, her dead husband's own brother. Gertrude should have realized how humiliated Hamlet would feel as a result, because at that time it was considered incestuous for a widow to marry her husband's brother. There is also jealousy on the part of a son, who feels that his mother should be giving him more attention during the mourning period. Gertrude is not in touch......

View the rest of this paper...

Approximate Word Count: 1689
Approximate Pages: 7 (250 words per double-spaced page)

Similar Essays

1. Summary Of Hamlet
   

   Summary Of Hamlet. Summary Of The Play Hamlet By: Amanda Wellman It's a story of
   murder, betrail, hatred all rapped up in one astonishing play. ...

2. Does Hamlet Have A Tragic Flaw?
   

   Does Hamlet Have A Tragic Flaw? Does Hamlet Have A Tragic Flaw? Question:
   Does Hamlet have a tragic flaw? ... Hamlet's flaw is intact. ...

3. Hamlet
   

   hamlet. Hamlet Summary Hamlet is the son of the late King Hamlet (of Denmark),
   who died two months before the start of the play. ...

4. Summary Of Hamlet
   

   Summary Of Hamlet. Summary Of The Play Hamlet By: Amanda Wellman It's a story of
   murder, betrail, hatred all rapped up in one astonishing play. ...

5. Hamlet
   

   Hamlet. Hamlet is the son of the late King Hamlet (of Denmark), who died
   two months before the start of the play. After King Hamlet's ...