Textuality » 4A Interacting
Hamlet and his mother
The relationship between the
characters is quite complicated. Hamlet disapproves of his mother choices. In
particular, he cannot stand, she married his uncle after the death of his
farther. It seems to Hamlet as if she forgot and betrayed his first husband too
soon, for marrying a cruel, power-hungry and false man, who was able to kill
his brother just in order to get his crown and his beautiful wife.
In Hamlet's opinion, Gertrude (his
mother) has been deceived by Devil, because of her shameful marriage.
It was such a serious choice for
Hamlet, that he couldn't trust her anymore.
In the fourth scene of the third act
the grudge Hamlet bears against her mother is particularly clear: he continuously
asks her "have you got eyes?". It seems as if he were the parent and Gertrude
were the child. Hamlet wants her mother to realize she made a big mistake, but
she doesn't listen to him. Maybe she just wants to hide his guilt, refusing a
lecture from his own son.
As a consequence, Hamlet starts
despising women, considering them cruel, stubborn and unfaithful people.