Essay on Hamlet

Running head: ESSAY ON HAMLET
Essay on Hamlet
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1Essay on Hamlet
Outline of the Essay:
“Hamlet” is one of the most debatable play of Shakespeare and perhaps the most widely
performed one in his repertoire. The actual plot of “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”
or “Hamlet” was taken from Holinshed’s Chronicles and is one of the longest plays of
Shakespeare. The concerned play highlights the downfall of the mighty Denmark Kingdom and
because of this is often considered to be one of the most important Elizabethan Age tragedies.
The play in a succinct manner depicts the 16th century societal framework of Denmark and the
resultant effect of this is that, the male characters have been given the pivotal positions with the
female characters relegated to the background of the plot. However, the characters of Gertrude,
Hamlet’s mother, and the character of Ophelia, Hamlet’s beloved, are two strong female
characters of the play. Therefore, in the following essay, the character of Gertrude, will be
discussed focusing on her incestuous love for Claudius and her genuine mother’s love for
Hamlet.
First Argument: Gertrude is seen to be married to her brother-in-law, with whom she had been
involved in an incestuous relationship, within two months of the death of her husband. This
particular situation has dictated the entire play.
 Gertrude has been seen to be sharing an incestuous relationship with Claudius, her
brother-in-law, and upon the demise of her husband, she has seen to be materializing
this relationship. Such a conduct, in that particular era was regarded as a social taboo
and a punishable offense. Therefore, such a conduct, being a queen if the country
showed the depth of her love for Claudius.

2Essay on Hamlet
 Another important aspect as portrayed in the play is that, even upon gaining the
knowledge that Claudius is the one to kill her husband and even after getting
confronted by her own son,
“O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets!”,
Gertrude never shows any doubt on Claudius, and neither does she try to justify the character
of her love. This shows the unconditional love and blind faith on Claudius.
Second Argument: The character of Gertrude has been portrayed with diverse nature that bores
immense love for her son, who is driven by the thought of revenge due to the conducts of her own
mother.
 The character of Gertrude shows extreme care when it comes to her son, Hamlet. In one
of the act, she shows immense misery and melancholy on gaining the knowledge of her
son, going back to Wittenberg. She is seen to be telling her son,
“Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet; I pray thee stay with us; go not to Wittenberg”
 Moreover in the play, it is seen that the character of Gertrude has remained very passive,
but when she is confronted by her son, she has shown objectivity. This portrays the fact
that the character of Gertrude has shown her true self to her son only (Charney).
Third Argument: The incestuous love of Gertrude for Claudius and her genuine love for
Hamlet form the central lacuna of the plot and greatly dictates the events in the play. For
example, one of the major factors which fuels Hamlet’s desire for revenge is the fact that his
own mother is in an incestuous relationship with the man who killed his father.