The Oedipal Relationship between Mother and Son in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Running head: ENGLISH ESSAY
ENGLISH ESSAY
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1ENGLISH ESSAY
Introduction
In the Shakespearean play Hamlet, the conflict between Hamlet and his mother Gertrude
draws equivalence to primary conflict of the story. In the tragedy play by Shakespeare, Gertrude
is Hamlet’s mother as well as the Queen of Denmark who was married to King Hamlet
represented by the Ghost in the play and subsequently has been wed to Claudius, his brother.
According to Gopinath and Abraham, her integrate associations to the central male characters
imply that she is a key figure within the narrative. Mosley has noted that in Shakespearean play,
Hamlet is motivated in order to avenge by the ghost with his discontentment after knowing the
marriage of Claudius and Gertrude. In Hamlet, Queen Gertrude’s culpability of King Hamlet’s
death has been a critical subject of discussion. The thesis statement of the following essay is “the
Oedipal Relationship between Mother and Son in Shakespearian tragedy play, Hamlet.”
Discussion
Hamlet has been distressed with his mother Gertrude’s marriage with Claudius. Drawing
relevance this argument Bourus has mentioned two critical events which are underlying factors
of Hamlet’s distress and discontentment as well as disgust in Act 1, thus forming a foundation of
the revenge plot. However, Shakespeare in his tragic play leaves the extent of Gertrude’s historic
association with Claudius highly ambiguous. Critical analysis of Shakespeare’s tragic narrative
by Gopinath and Abraham have revealed that drawing contradictions to her male equivalents,
Gertrude does not comprise any soliloquises and thus has denied the chance to exhibit her inner
thoughts, emotions as well as sentiments to the audience. For these underlying reasons, the true
characteristics of Gertrude’s character as well as enthusiasm has been viewed as highly
indistinct.

2ENGLISH ESSAY
The most continuing characterisation of Gertrude as audaciously sensual as well as
shallow has been represented by Hamlet along with the Ghost. In the Shakespearean play,
Hamlet recurrently has been vocal about sexual orientation of his mother and has further
reflected high obsession regarding her physical bond with Claudius by unfolding their marital
bed as ‘incestuous sheets’ and as ‘an enseamèd bed. Such disappointment has been reflected
through Hamlet’s incongruity by showing grievance regarding Gertrude involving in a conjugal
association with Claudius within two months of his demise. Hall has noted in Act 1 of the play,
Hamlet says, “O most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor
it cannot come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue”. At this juncture,
Hamlet divulges his level of discomfort with his mother’s association which leads to his urge of
taking revenge. Nevertheless, at this point, the Ghost of King Hamlet appears to give him an
eventual purpose of avenging his death. The above evidences draw relevance to the above
analysis claiming that Hamlet’s mother’s association with Claudius led him to take revenge.
Through the Shakespearean tragedy play, Hamlet emphasizes in accomplishing the
purpose driven by discomfort towards Gertrude’s association with Claudius. However, the above
line aligns to the above statement whereby Gopinath and Abraham have argued that Hamlet
indulges in making social comment regarding women who exhibit pessimistic nature.
Comprehensive studies of Kadhim and Ali Ahmed have noted that Hamlet usually make those
explanations as well as observations to Ophelia, for instance, when he asks her to visit the
nunnery. These comments nonetheless, are triggered by his extensive level of apprehension
towards his mother. At the initial phase of the play, Hamlet sees Ophelia as a woman possessing
sincere and truthful characteristics. However, as per the view of Sharmin, such a view of Hamlet
on Ophelia has gradually been shaped by varying situational facets in the course of the play.