Gertrude's Strength

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is arguable the cornerstone of many of today’s media portrayals of the modern relationship. A struggle between the identity of himself, Hamlet, and the expectations set upon him by a partner, friends, family, and an entire kingdom would prove to be too great for Hamlet to bear. These perceptions would eventually cause Hamlet to go insane, and with no exceptional help from his own mother, and queen, Gertrude. The term Gertrude is derived from a Germanic combination of term, “ger” or “gar” for spear and “prup” for strength (Findlay). Gertrude’s strength does develop throughout the play, although unfortunately her last act of strength is one to cause her death. Gertrude has a tremendous role in setting the tone for
Gertrude had several opportunities to react as differently as she did, beginning with the hasty marriage between Claudius and herself, her support of Hamlet during his mourning period of his father Old Hamlet, and the murder of Polonius that had occurred in front of her during a confrontation with Hamlet. Hamlet does not approve of Gertrude’s marriage to Claudius, Old Hamlet’s brother, and is quick to mention the exceedingly short amount of time between his own father’s death and the marriage between Claudius and Gertrude, “My father’s brother; but no more like my father Thank I to Hercules: within a month”(1.2.154-155). Gertrude could have been more sensitive to Hamlet’s feelings upon the matter, unfortunately her attentions were directed to different matters. The marriage is what had initially set into place a series of chain events that would cause Hamlet to descend into his own madness. Gertrude had seemingly passed the death of her first husband, Old Hamlet, off as a passing fancy and encourages Hamlet to do the same, “Seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st tis common, - all that live must die, passing through nature to eternity.”(1.2.72-74). Gertrude does not approve in the manner that Hamlet is obsessing over his father’s death and makes a point to discuss the topic, no less in front of the new king, Claudius. Within the heated debate between Hamlet and Gertrude signs of an Oedipus complex are presented. The Oedipus complex is from well-known psychologist Sigmund Freud and states that boys develop a sexual attraction to their mothers, and jealousy of their fathers (Ciccarelli 414). Hamlet does talk to his mother Gertrude in a rather sexual manner, as well as trying to kill his own father. Hamlet’s does state that Claudius does deserve to die