My immediate impression of Gertrude was that she was the innocent victim, the mother who was only trying to do what she thought was right. Now? I think she's a randy old goat. Although it is argued that she didn't know anything about Claudius's plot to gain the throne, she decided to marry Claudius to keep society in balance and to protect her son Hamlet's future secure. However, after much deliberation, I think that not only did she think all of this, but she always though of herself. Although there is no evidence in the text to support Hamlet's accusations that she is very involved and active with Claudius, the subtle suggest of possible incest (which [to my EXTREME horror] we saw on the DVDs,) show that she may very well be very active with her new husband. So, why did she marry Claudius? Perhaps she was doing it for the right reasons, or perhaps she was lonely, and needed a man, the closest thing to her late husband was his brother- therefore they married.
However, she does seem like she is very loyal to her son. "What should I do?" She says, asking Hamlet to tell her how to make him feel better. To me, Gertrude seems like a weak woman, she is easily submissive and goes after her desires. However, as she is the queen, I thought that perhaps she does try to be a more powerful female figure, such as when she gives her short speech to him, but does fail, as Hamlet retorts back to her, putting her back in the place an Elizabethan woman belongs. (Not in the kitchen, in a metaphorical place.)
I totally agree with the 'randy old goat' comment, she was nice and seemed all ooo I'm not doing anything wrong, hiding behind a mask eh? I think she is very cold how she just jumps from a brother to another. I think she knew about Claudius's plot to get to the throne but she just wanted to keep it repressed to save a big old argument, this is wrong, sick and wrong. I think she just married Claudius for her own benefit, she didn't take into account that this would most likely effect Hamlet in a very bad way, oh what's that, it did, nooo really. That is very very strange and unexpected.
ReplyDeleteI think Stephanie(sorry but it had a red squiggle underneath Steph like now that was annoying) made a good point about the fact that she wanted to make Hamlet feel better and stuff. Anyway that's my post and I hope I'm the first so I don't have to do this again
Well, i think it's about time someone stuck up for the "randy old goat", who "jumps from a brother to another". Whilst i agree that she maybe ought to be a more "powerful female figure", you have to remember that she still might be slightly fragile from her late husbands death. Did anyone ever think that she married Claudius because of the great similarity to her dead husband and she just wasn't ready to say goodbye...
ReplyDeleteSo, yes, she isn't playing a particularly voicey (that's so not a word) role in her life, but if she were to admit that she's only married Claudius because of the resemburlance (and yes i know this is spelt very wrong but the only suggestion is reinsurance, and that's not what i'm getting at) to the dead King to Hamlet, God knows Hamlet would go right up to Claudius and laugh in his face. Would this help the country? Probs not.
To conclude, i think that in a weird and wonderful way, she is thinking of the Country, and her son, and Claudius, and a little bit of herself, and still a lot bit of her dead husband. BAM.
joke. I think she's a toad.
Gertrude. A character who fits so many stereotypes, but which one? One of my interpretations, is that that the queen only married the Claudog as a way of grieving. Some people, instead of confronting reality (aka Hamlet) repress all of the bad things that happen to them, and try to get back into some sort of monotonous routine. For Gertrude, this might be literally the closest thing back to her old life before the king was killed. The only thing wrong in this new 'routine', this new, happy life of hers, is Hamlet. And this could be why she is so submissive to him, because she just wants to be normal again; 'what should I do?'. There is also a sexual connotations with this theory, being submissive etc, and we see this quite clearly in the film, which, just to clarify, is VILE.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I also see Stephs point, and see how she can be seen as a harlet, whore, hoe-bag etcetera.
But, with all that thrown out-there, Eastenders is on, and I have to watch intently.
I think Gertrude must have some man scent on her or something, she is/ the subject of Claudius', Hamlet's, and Hamlet senior's affections, so she must be a pretty attractive woman. I actually do still think she is a randy victim? randy victim? I meant innocent victim lol, but maybe she's a randy victim too. I think she is trying to do what's right. As, as Steph said it is clear she is loyal to Hammy. And yes Fiona, I am in agreement, although I do enjoy the word randy and so feel she must be that, too. But then again Louigi could be right, maybe she's just in mourning and Claudius is her rebound. WE'RE ALL RIGHT YAY.
ReplyDeletejust realised I didn't actually make any points and just went 'yeah they were right' 'oh and that was right too' ahh oh well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Fi when she said that maybe 'she still might be slightly fragile from her late husbands death'; it's like Claudius could have just been a sort of panicky rebound, like maybe if she was in a different position (i.e. not the widow of the king) she would have had time to think about what she was actually doing, but because she was upset from King Hamlet's death, she wasn't thinking completely straight and so she married Claudius , because he looked like King Hamlet - so it felt like he would know what he was doing because it would be like having the other king there, and also because he was just there, and he was the King's brother, so he would sort of know what he was doing anyway? I sort of trailed off there, but hopefully you get what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI deffo agree about the 'slightly fragile' state she may be in as Steph and Hattie pointed out. I do think we are a bit harsh on poor old Gerty though, I reckon she was just lonely, or thought it was the right thing to do. Therefore she is doing a good thing because she was nice putting Hammy Ham and the country first. I'm warming to Gertrude now. However I'm liking this 'randy' idea that's going around, I think she is a bit promiscuous the minx. Also I agree strongly with Louistron about the vileness (?) of the film. Ew. Not on.
ReplyDeleteOh no that was really short. :/ Well, elaborating on the 'thought it was the right thing to do' point, I'm stuck between thinking that Gertrude did the right thing for her country and family by marrying Claudius or that she did so for her own selfish reasons. I'm leaning toward the benefit of her country side. Only because I believe she will have been greiving and that was her way of dealing with it? OR/AND the fact that she wanted to stay in power (for the good of the country) and the only way to do that was to re-marry and Claudius was in the right place at the right time.
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