Gertrude Exposed
...he salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes, she married (1.2 158-161)." Gertrude’s sexual tendencies towards Claudius prevent her from feeling pain over her husband’s death and cause her and Hamlet’s relationship to disintegrate. Hamlet’s words " O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain (1.5 112-113)," expresses his realization of his mother’s guilt that is masked by her fabricated smile. The bribes that the Queen uses on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Act Two to discover the reasons for Hamlet’s madness reveals the sly actions she takes to get what she wants. " If it will please you to show us so much gentry and goodwill….your visitation shall receive such thanks as fit’s a king’s remembrance (2.2 21-26)." Gertrude is fully aware that these two men will do what her and the king wish for a profit in return. The Queen’s inability to approach Hamlet herself and find out what is bothering him demonstrates her guilty conscience. It is likely that Gertrude feels very bad for her crime and is thus unable to confront Hamlet for fear that he has uncovered the truth about her husband murdering Claudius. Asking Rosencrantz and Guildentsern to accomplish this task, instead of Horatio whom she knows is a more trustworthy friend to Hamlet, suggests that maybe Gertrude does not truly want them to find out anything at all. As Gertrude tells Polonius "more matter with less art (2.2 103)," it is clear that Gertrude has neither the time or patience for his mindless rambling and she has much on her mind to uncover. In Act Three, Gertrude’s conversations with Ophelia and Hamlet further expose her condemned state. She tells Ophelia " I do wish that your good beauties be the happy cause of Hamlet’s wildness (3.2 42-44)." The Queen’s "wish" that this be the grounds for Hamlet’s madness affirms her understanding that it is indeed not. Gertrude also displays herself as a complete hypocrite. During Hamlet’s play, she tells him "The lady doth protest too much, methinks (3.2 254)." and later strongly protests herself to Hamlet’s accusations of the murder. "Ay me, what act that roars so loud and thunders in the index (3.4 61-62)?" Gertrude’s many protesting with Hamlet truly prove her guilt. Hamlet asks his mother "O shame, where is thy blush (3.4 91)?" because he wants her to feel embarrassed and disgusted for marrying Claudius so quickly after his father‘s death. In this act, Hamlet finally is able to call Gertrude on the despicable acts she has committed. Gertrude’s loyalty to Claudius more so than her own son is made abundantly clear in Act Four. She begins by tell...