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Family Relationships In Hamlet

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Family Relationships In Hamlet
The negative impact of family relationships in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet are illustrated by highlighting the harmful repercussions of disrespectful familial gestures on Hamlet Jr.'s character. Claudius and Gertrude are now the King and Queen of Denmark, and Gertrude's son, Hamlet Jr., is the Prince. Claudius murdered Hamlet Sr., the former King of Denmark, usurp the throne and married Gertrude, Hamlet Sr.'s former wife within two months of his death. Hamlet Jr. experienced anguish for the loss of his father, resentment towards his mother's betrayal of him and his father and hatred against Claudius for his recent acts of deception, which all deteriorate Hamlet's mental condition. Claudius manipulates Hamlet's life to try to understand …show more content…
or Hamlet Jr., which corrupts Hamlet's trust in his mother. Gertrude begins to deteriorate her relationship with her son when she betrays her former husband by marrying Claudius. Hamlet is enraged towards his mother for marrying "[his] father's brother, but no more like [his] father than [he] to Hercules. Within a month, ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes, she married" (I.ii.157-161). Hamlet fails to understand Gertrude's sudden dramatic shift of her values in men, since he has a dignified level of respect for his father and an vindictive opinion of Claudius. Also, Hamlet feels that Gertrude insufficiently mourned for Hamlet Sr. to pay her respects to his venerable legacy. Gertrude married Claudius two months after Hamlet Sr. was murdered, which makes Hamlet Jr. question his childhood its validity. Hamlet believed Gertrude loved his father dearly, but the quick marriage caused Hamlet to wonder if his mother lied to both him and his father for all their lives. This illustrates that Hamlet's trust and respect for Gertrude is deteriorating as a result of the hasty marriage. Additionally, Gertrude disrespects Hamlet's personal struggle as he mourns for his father by siding with Claudius during conflicts between the two men. Claudius thinks it is noble of Hamlet to mourn for his father, "but to persever in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness" (I.ii.96-98). Rather than defending Hamlet's position, Gertrude tells him to "not forever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die" (I.ii.72-74). Gertrude believes Hamlet is mourning too long for his father because death is a part of life and everyone has suffered the loss of loved ones. Gertrude displays a lack of respect for Hamlet's grieving process by telling him to move on with his life and
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