How Does Shakespeare Present Gertrude's Madness In Hamlet

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Throughout the play “Hamlet,” by William Shakespeare, Prince Hamlet feigns and arguably becomes mad as he tries to avenge his father's murder. When Hamlet encounters the ghost of his dead father, King Hamlet informs him that his unjust death was dueled out by Claudius. Hamlet devises a scheme to instigate King Claudius in admitting his guilt. To do this. Hamlet feigns madness to distract from his revenge plot. As he does this, his insanity affects those close to them, causing them to change in unpredictable ways. Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s madness as a catalyst in revealing the true nature of characters central to the development of the plot.
Claudius becomes paranoid as a result of the disconcerting conversations which happen between him and …show more content…

Even so, Hamlet feels betrayed by her remarriage to Claudius and feels as though there is no one he can trust. Hamlet’s sanity is further compromised by this lack of faith in his mother. When Gertrude is first introduced, we see that her loyalties clearly lie with her new husband, King Claudius. She is “faithless” and does not show compassion for the reasonable feelings which Hamlet is dealing with because of the recent death of his father (Knight). Instead she tells Hamlet that he should “…cast thy nighted color off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark (I.ii.68-69).” Hamlet does not take the callous advice of his mother very kindly, seeing her as betraying King Hamlet and him through her quick remarriage of the late king’s brother. Through the “…wringing [of] his mother’s heart” Hamlet is able to compel his mother to admit her guilt. Gertrude speaks of the “black and grainèd spots” which she sees on her soul, and asks Hamlet to stop berating her about her disloyal actions (III. iv.91). Even as she confesses this guilt about her incestuous behavior, she continues to shows loyalty toward Claudius. However, when Hamlet confesses that he is indeed sane to his mother and asks her to tell King Claudius that he is mad. Gertrude does as he asks, saying that Hamlet is “Mad as the sea and wind” (IV.i.7). It is plausible that Gertrude truly sees Hamlet as insane, but she could also be covering for her son out of love and guilt for betraying him. The defining moment of Hamlet’s relationship with his mother comes at the height of Hamlet’s madness. When Claudius organizes a duel between Hamlet and Laertes Gertrude shows her motherly affection she says to Hamlet “Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows. The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet” (V.ii.282-283). Shortly after, she drinks out of a goblet poisoned by

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