Gertrude's Loss Of Innocence In Hamlet

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“So full of artless jealousy is guilt, It spills itself in fearing to be spilt” Queen Gertrude says this line to herself as her remorse from her actions consumes her. Gertrude is completely ignorant at the beginning of the play as to why Prince Hamlet is upset. It is not until Prince Hamlet confronts the queen about her immoral actions that she realizes what she has done. From then on the queen feels remorse for her behavior. Queen Gertrude’s change from unashamed to remorseful in William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, establishes the theme that others’ actions can unwittingly bring self-realization to others. In the beginning of the play, Gertrude is completely ignorant and innocent as to why she cannot love both Claudius and Hamlet without them being upset. Gertrude asks Hamlet “If it be,
Why seems it so particular with thee?” (I.ii.74-74) because she is very confused as to why Hamlet is upset. However, the reader still knows that Gertrude cares for Hamlet since she asks him not to go to Wittenberg, “Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. I pray thee stay with us, go not to Wittenberg.” (I.ii.118-19) It is shown that Gertrude is perplexed at her current situation. All she wants is to love both Claudius and Hamlet, but …show more content…

When Claudius asks her how the meeting with Hamlet went, she plays along with Hamlet saying, “Mad as the sea and wind when both contend Which is the mightier.”(IV.i.8-9) When she says this, the readers know she has chosen to side with Hamlet because she did not tell Claudius that Hamlet was only pretending to be crazy. Later on when Gertrude has a moment to herself she says, “To my sick soul (as sin's true nature is) Each toy seems Prologue to some great amiss. So full of artless jealousy is guilt It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.” (IV.v.16-19) admitting to herself that she sees what she has done wrong and cannot bear

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