In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one of its character Gertrude remains a true mystery. It was never clearly stated whether she was Claudius' co-conspirator or Hamlet's defender, making it difficult for its reader to know which is correct. She is mother of protagonist Hamlet and holds the position of Queen in the throne of Denmark. Defined by her desire for affection, she tends to depend on men to fulfill self-preservation and often times, put her needs in front of others. Although she holds reign, during the play she allows herself to be defined by those around her. In Hamlet, Queen Gertrude is morally frail, oblivious, and warmhearted when it comes to her son. We first realize in Act I, Scene 2 that Gertrude’s moral intuition is essentially nonexistent. In mourning for his late father, Hamlet was in need of consolation and a mother to lend a helping hand. Instead, in less …show more content…
She protects him from a distance and makes it known that she is worried about his state of mind and well-being. In fact, Gertrude constantly relies on the help of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out the cause of Hamlet’s erratic behavior. Afterward, they’d report their findings, “He does confess he feels himself distracted, but from what cause he will by no means speak” (2.3.5). With no clue, Gertrude only hoped Ophelia’s rejections to date were the reason, because Hamlet’s behavior would then be rationalized and only temporary. “Ophelia, I do wish that your good beauties be the happy cause of Hamlet’s wildness. So shall I hope your virtues will bring him to his wanted way again” (3.1.44). Furthermore, in Act IV, scene 1, when describing to Claudius Hamlet's killing of Polonius, Gertrude excuses the gruesome act by lying that Hamlet was remorseful and cried afterwards. “He weeps for what is done,” (4.1.27) she states with the intent of protecting him from