In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare’s character Gertrude seems to merely float through the castle providing little to no valuable service and seemingly without volition or true activity of her own. She seems to be a puppet figure, given few options and her sentiments have little to no bearing upon the decisions made for her. However, Queen Gertrude seems to be more on the inside of the plotting and scheming occurring within the castle than an innocent woman should have. Thus, Gertrude presents a complicated character that could be an innocent victim of male plotting or a willing accomplice to regicide.
Presumably brought up in the same tradition as many women throughout history, Gertrude has been taught to listen and obey the words of men around her. Hamlet’s first accusations to her are met with complete ignorance, “What have I done that thou dar’st wag thy tongue / in noise so rude against me?” (III, iv, 40-41). As Hamlet outlines the actions that have already taken place, Gertrude seems to understand for the first time her complicity, a reaction that suggests she was completely innocent up to this point. Claudius has used her as a means of securing the crown on his head while gaining a lovely wife in the bargain. Within the same conversation, Gertrude also reveals her powerlessness as Hamlet reminds her that he is to travel to England and she reflects, “Alack, I had forgot. ‘Tis so concluded on” (III, iv, 201-202). However, within her innocence, perhaps because of her placement beside the truly innocent Ophelia, the queen seems somewhat insincere.
When Hamlet slays the person hiding in the curtains in Queen Gertrude’s chambers in III, iv, he hopes it is King Claudius. This action demonstrates his suspicion of his mother’s complicity in the old king’s murder, a suspicion that has been hinted at throughout the play. Gertrude, in her opening lines, appears to be very cold and callous regarding the death of her previous husband. “Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off, / And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. / Do not forever with thy vailed lids / Seek for thy noble father in the dust (I, ii, 68-71). She tells Hamlet to stop mourning, even though his father hasn’t been dead more than two months, and she tells Hamlet death is common, seemingly indicating that his father was equally common. Hamlet constantly criticizes Gertrude from the beginning and throughout the play, about the incestuous relationship she shares with his uncle and Gertrude’s former brother-in-law.
Her complicity is brought out to an even further degree with the death of Ophelia. Within the Queen’s recitation of what happened to Ophelia, the only statement she makes that indicates supposition or assumption rather than direct knowledge is that it could not have been long before “her garments, heavy with their drink, / Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay” (IV, vii, 180-181). On the other hand, the Queen includes many details in her description that indicate first-hand knowledge that would have been difficult to know any other way: “Her clothes spread wide, / And mermaid-like awhile they bore her up, / Which time she chanted snatches of old lauds, / As one incapable of her own distress” (IV, vii, 174-177). The tone of this description suggests an observer who watched as Ophelia fell into the water and then continued to watch as she floated upon the surface for a moment to be sure there would be no struggle. This speech serves to highlight the possibly treacherous aspect of the Queen, indicating that perhaps she isn’t quite the innocent fool she appears to be.
Although Gertrude is never seen to be engaged in anything underhanded, nor is she overly upset, as is Claudius, at the play within a play that details the actual murder, she doesn’t appear to be completely innocent either. A broader understanding of Shakespeare informs the audience that his women were frequently intelligent and well-versed in the activities occurring around them, bringing Gertrude’s innocence further into question. However, she plays the part so well, it is difficult to determine whether she is actually or merely intentionally innocent. As a result, Gertrude remains one of Shakespeare’s more complicated characters.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet.’ The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Alfred Harbage (Ed.). London: Penguin Books, 1969, pp. 930-976.