GERTRUDE'S AND OPHELIA'S BEHAVIOUR WITHIN THE FRAME OF RENNAISSANCE. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Introduction 3

GERTRUDE'S AND OPHELIA'S BEHAVIOUR WITHIN THE FRAME OF RENNAISSANCE.
CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Women's Role During Renaissance 5
Ophelia 8
Gertrude 14
Conclusions 20
Sources 22
INTRODUCTION
This paper focuses on the two female characters in Hamlet. This paper consists of an introduction, two
sections devoted to analyse Gertrude's and Ophelia's personalities and the last section intended to draw some
conclusions.
A noticeable thing when reading Hamlet is the fact that Gertrude and Ophelia are the only two female
characters among more than twenty−five male characters. The reader may easily think that Shakespeare gives
little importance to women's role in this work. Some scholars pointed out that this maybe due to the lack of
teenager actors to perform female roles. However, it is also known that female characters in Shakespeare's
works do have importance and are used to add dramatic strength to his plays. This aspect is interesting;
however, in my view Gertrude's and Ophelia's behaviour could be understood when consider women's role
during Renaissance. Then, it is worth mentioning that many scholars coincide that this play is particularly
ambiguous; hence, the lot of questions that generate a lot of discussion. So, this work will attempt at shedding
some light on the issues that arise from Gertrude's and Ophelia's behaviour.
Hamlet's temper triggers the actions in the characters of the play, and Gertrude and Ophelia are not the
exception; the former as a loving mother, the latter as a childish girlfriend.
Some hints to Gertrude's and Ophelia's behaviour maybe found considering the place that women were given
during Renaissance. Besides, it should be taking into account that women did not dare to go against the
customs of the times. It is important to remark that this paper concentrates on Renaissance, and not the Middle
Ages (the actual time at which the action occurs). This is so because, as it is widely known, Shakespeare used
to take the main body of legends, stories and history and alter them in order to match the customs of
Renaissance.
Gertrude's and Ophelia's behaviour maybe a little surprising for an audience of our times; but this may have
not been so for an audience of Renaissance times. Surely, the audience may have complacently acknowledged
Hamlet's words Frailty, thy name is woman.
WOMEN'S ROLE DURING RENAISSANCE
The historical period that followed the Middle Ages was called Renaissance. Renaissance started in Italy, and
soon spread all over Europe. The interest in the study of the classical world was its most remarkable feature.
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The relationship between the individual and the outside world, along with an enhanced view of the individual
reasoning were an outstanding feature of this period. Regarding education, the development of personal skills
and objectivity was importantly emphasised; since education aimed at forming a complete individual,
competent in many fields of knowledge.
From the evidence collected by scholars (letters, marriage contracts), violence and oppression on women is
unveiled. Domestic affairs and childbearing were the only issues women were allowed to be concerned with.
Women had restricted access to education. Furthermore, writing and reading for women were thought to be
useless because the main objective of education for them was to serve the husband and to keep the house.
Legally, women were also in disadvantage. They were considered another possession of their husbands: once
married their belongings along with themselves became their husbands' property. Besides, husbands were
allowed to beat their wives when they considered necessary some correction.
Regarding marriage, most women were married at the age of 15 or 16, and life expectancy for women was no
more than 30 years. Political, strategic or commercial reasons motivated marriages within high−class people.
So, marriage depended to a great extent on the wealth and social position of the bride to be. Negotiations for
royal marriages often took many years to finalise. They usually began during the childhood of one or both of
the potential couple. Royal courtship consisted of formal letters declaring love and symbolic gifts, usually
jewellery. Usually the royal couple couldn't meet because of the distance. Kings had to rely on descriptions by
ambassadors, and portraits painted by court painters.
Marriage moved by love was seen a foolishness. Generally, queens were powerful, however, the real power
was hold by their husbands.
Wealth and social rank were not the only requisite for marriage. Women had to be quiet, shy, gentle and
caring about her husband. Thus, women played a passive role within the couple and fulfilling the aforesaid
requisites was thought to be a God's present. Low−class women helped their familiar economy generally by
working along with their husbands, for half a salary. Furthermore, they were also in charge of the childbearing
and the housekeeping. Women in higher classes were devoted to procreate heirs in order to keep the lineage.
Unmarried women just had one option: secluding in nunnery. Submission on the part of women was
mandatory; this idea was shared and supported not only by society but also by the church, which considered
submission a virtue. Thus, men of their own family ruled women's childhood and adolescence; eventually,
women carried out their adult life under the authority of their husbands.
Also, apart from all the requisites aforementioned, virginity played a role of outmost importance. Virginity
was a dramatic issue in the life of women. Since losing virginity meant missing chances of a convenient
marriage, the men of the family closely watched this condition. In this way, sex outside the matrimony sphere
was thought of as sinful and base; on the contrary, sex inside the matrimony was considered pure. To sum up,
Renaissance society was a patriarchal one. John Knox, a contemporary scholar and one of the most important
voices of Reformation, reflects the notion about women during Renaissance: Woman in her greatest
perfection was made to serve and obey man.
OPHELIA
Ophelia is seen for the first time in Hamlet when she is talking to her brother, Laertes. Laertes warns her about
Hamlet, and he also shows some concern about Ophelia's chastity:
Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain,
If with too credent ear you list his songs,
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Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open,
To his unmastered importunity (I iii)
Laertes' words reflect one of the main concerns of men of those times as it was mentioned before. At the same
time, Laertes'words:
His greatness weighed, his will is not his own
For he himself is subject to his birth
He may not, as unvalued persons do
Carve for himself, for on his choice dependes
The safety and health of this whole state (I iii)
reflect the nature of marriages within high class people. Besides we have to remember that she was a royal
advisor's daughter; however not noble enough to Hamlet, who was a prince. So, maybe she realised this and
this is one of the reasons why she may have known that her love might have never worked.
Nonetheless, her father also advises Ophelia. Polonius demands obedience on her; Polonius aims not only at
preserving Ophelia's virginity, but mot importantly he wants to save his own honour. Polonius and Lartes are
troubled because they know how things go in the court.
It is worth noticing that Ophelia has a strong bond with her brother but her relationship with her father seems
a little strained. At this point, these dialogs reveal Ophelia's image. Polonius and Laertes call for obedience
and submission to their commands; they think of Ophelia as an inexperienced and childish girl:
Affection! Pooh! You speak like a green girl
Unsifted in such perilous circumstance (I iii)
No matter how true she might be when she says that she loves Hamlet, she knows her father's temper. This is
reflected by her prudence when telling him about her affair with Hamlet. Ophelia's self acknowledged
submission is reflected in her own attitude: I shall obey, my Lord. Furthermore, her self acknowledged
submission is reassured when she says:
...,as you did command
I did repel his letters, and denied
His access to me (II ii)
Regarding this scene, a critical work state that: ...her face may look innocent...but this only proves her
falseness, that, like his father, she can appear loving and then immediately change her behaviour...Finally,
even in this scene she fails him, for she stands with mute terror at the sight of his anguish and does nothing to
try to understand or calm him.
In my view, the previous statement is unfair. Urged on by her father, Ophelia left the man she loves the most.
This situation caused her to meet with two situations: either going against her own father, or facing a Hamlet's
madness. From my point of view, Ophelia's perturbation arises from her condition of woman, plugged to her
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short age (she might have surely been no more than 15 or 16).
Eventually, Polonius, ironically, admits an error of judgement regarding Hamlet; nonetheless, he does nothing
about it.
Ophelia's total and self acknowledged submission reaches its climax when completely unaware she takes part
in Polonius' and Claudius' plot to make Hamlet talk. However, even though she may look like a puppet, she
gets showing her feelings towards Hamlet. She feels pity for Hamlet, and at the same time she feels bitterly
disappointed because Hamlet shares none of his inner thoughts, or his sorrows with her. This is why she
claims about this situation the following: Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind (III i). With these
words, Ophelia disconsolately gives up her hopes about a possible marriage with Hamlet. To make matters
worse, Hamlet rejects her claiming I loved you not (III i). However, no matter the brutality of these words,
Opehelia's love remains the same, and this is reflected by her honest claim: O, help him, you sweet heavens!
(III i)O heavenly powers, restore him (III i)
At this point, it is worth noticing that Hamlet becomes the spokesman of the prejudices of Renaissance
society: Be thou chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny (III i), That if you be honest
and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty. Also, he suggests that the beauty of women
is a sort of trap that traps the virtue of men the power of beauty...transform honesty from what is bawd. His
remarks to Ophelia are cruel but include a certain amount of self−reproach, as well. Besides, he suggests that
men are deceitful we are arrant knaves all; believe none of us.
Hamlet's attack on Ophelia is indeed closely linked to the image he has of his mother and all other women.
This is reinforced by his words Frailty, thy name is woman. In this way, Hamlet is not addressing to Ophelia
as an individual, she has become a representative of all women. His mother's betrayal of the memory of his
father understandably distorts Hamlet's idealised view of women in general, he projects his disgust with his
mother onto Ophelia, his sentiments have more to do with his anger at his mother than with anything that
Ophelia has said or done. At last, Ophelia becomes as the target and frustration, which Hamlet feels for his
mother.
Scene v, Act IV shows a different Ophelia. It is easy to understand what drove her mad. Ophelia has lost the
man she loves the most; moreover, now she has to endure another loss: Polonius' death. Moreover, Laertes,
the only person to whom she might have asked for help when she needed it the most, was not by her side.
Thus, all of these troubles come down heavily on the weak Ophelia; hence, she collapses beaten by reality.
Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet, the men who are supposed to rule her life are no longer with her. They shaped
her life, and she has no a mind of her own; so, inevitably she fatally clashes with reality. We could blame
them because they did not allow Ophelia to rely upon her own judgement, substituting their own feelings and
ideals and manipulating her, but we have to take into account the prejudices with regard women during those
times. So insanity is the only way she has to escape from the agony of her life.
In spite of the fact that Ophelia is out of her mind, she transmits her feelings and ideas thought the flowers and
songs. Her songs express what she feels about Hamlet's absence and Polonius' death. The song of the rejected
woman comes forcefully out from her lips, and at the same time is her peculiar way to deal with her sexual
restraint. Regarding the flowers, they undoubtedly carry a message for all those who receive them. She gave
to Laertes rosemary and pansies for remembrance and thoughts; columbine and fennel to Claudius for
unfaithfulness and flattery; and rue to Gertrude for repentance. She decides to wear daisies, which stand for
deception in love affairs and wishes to give violets to Horatio for loyalty but she remarks they withered all
when my father died (IV v)
Eventually, Laertes comes at once; he has come on time to revenge Polonius' death, unfortunately he has
come too late to help his sister. The image of an insane and hopeless Ophelia turns Laertes suffering into
wrath. Moreover, Laertes' wrath gets stronger after Ophelia's death.
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The causes of Ophelia's death remain unclear. On one hand, Gertrude states that Ophelia loses her life because
she drowned. On the other, the undertaker's conversation reveals a possible suicide: Is she to be buried in
Christian burial that wilfully seeks her own salvation? (V i). Hamlet's words add stress to this suspicion, too:
The queen, the courtiers. Who is that they follow?
And with such maimed rites? This doth betoken
The corse they follow did with desperate hand
Fordo its own life. `Twas od some estate. (V i)
There is something strange about the burial, since ecclesiastical authorities also think that Opehelia has killed
herself. However, Ophelia was a member of the court and Gertrude because her love toward Ophelia,
overruled the church, and had Ophelia buried in the holy graveyard. A last element that makes probe her
suicide is the priest's speech:
Her obsequies have been as far enlarged
As we have warranty. Her death was doubtful;
And, but that great command o'erswaysthe order,
She should in ground unsanctified have lodged
Till the last trumpet; for charitable players,
Shards, flints, and pebbles should be thrown on her.
Yet here she is allowed her virgin crants,
Her maiden strewments, and the bringing home
Of bell and burial. (V i)
Ophelia's death arise a question; Gertrude's description of Ophelia's death is very detailed. Maybe possible
that Gertrude has something to do with Ophelia's death? Perhaps Gertrude's sorrow and concern about her
suicide maybe pure pretence. If this be so, what on earth may have pushed Gertrude into involving with this
crime? In my view, Ophelia commits suicide, as evidenced by the speeches of the other characters; and, the
detailed description made by Gertrude is a dramatic device Shakespeare uses in order to get the audience
aware of the facts. This dramatic device was used in the times of classic Greek drama, where a messenger was
always in charge of informing the audience about facts that were important for the play, but were difficult to
carry out on stage (e.g. the result of a battle)
GERTRUDE
The main question that arises from Gertrude's behaviour is concerned with her hasty marriage after King
Hamlet's death. Her motives remain difficult to understand; however, undoubtedly, the royal advisors had
something to do. This fact unveils the political importance of this marriage. In mediaeval Denmark, not
necessarily Hamlet should have been obliged to succeed his father. Gertrude may have remained a widow.
Claudius could have been crowned; and as it was usual during Renaissance, he might have easily married
another foreign noble. This aforesaid makes me think that during King Hamlet's life, Gertrude and Claudius
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had already had an affair. Furthermore, when she talks to Hamlet the first, she asks him to be kind to
Claudius. In my view, had not she felt something about Claudius, she my have never done such request: let
thine eye look like a friend on Denmark (I ii). Not to mention that in those times marriages were set; hence, it
is quite unlikely that there might have been love between King Hamlet and Gertrude, as Hamlet believes there
was. Gertrude's words during the play within the play: The lady doth protest too much, methinks (III ii) reveal
her ambiguous ideas about faithfulness in marriage. To my thinking, Gertrude just want to be happy besides
the man she loves, and at the same time, she wants to keep her beloved son by her side. Adultery may not
sound queer taking into account that men ruled mercilessly over women. Curiously, Claudius is very kind
towards Gertrude.
Gertrude's words reveal guiltiness when she talks about her hasty marriage; since her state as a heart broken
widow was too short. So, an aspect of Gertrude's personality is brought to light. Gertrude is not only strong
enough to face rumours and prejudices, but also she shows intelligence and common sense when she asks
Polonuis: More matter, with less art. Though Gertrude might hope that is love what disturb the Prince, deep
inside herself she is able to discern that King Hamlet's death along with her hasty marriage are the real causes
of Hamlet's condition. The Queen's words,
And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
That your good beauties be the happy cause
Of Hamlet wildness. So shall I hope your virtues
Will bring him to his wonted way again,
To both your honours(III i)
show that she is not only concerned about Claudius, but also about Hamlet and Ophelia.
The dumb show is a highly important point in the play. This arises another important question about the
Queen: did she know Claudius' plans? In my view, Gertrude did not know anything about the murder.
Gertrude's guiltiness is related to her hasty marriage but not murder. Besides, she seems unaware to many of
Claudius' evil plots (i.e. the execution of Hamlet in England or Laertes' revenge) and she seems truly
concerned about Hamlet madness and honestly believes that it is caused by his father's death and her o'erhasty
marriage. The ghost put some light on this issue. When the ghost talks to Hamlet, it tells Hamlet about the
murder, and Gertrude is never mentioned; furthermore, the ghost tells Hamlet to forgive and understand the
Queen; twice the ghost does this recommendation:
But, however thou pursuest this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge (I v)
Later, the ghost turns up to protect Gertrude from Hamlet's rage:
Do not forget: this visitation
Is but t whet thy almost blunted purpose
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But, look , amazement on thy mother sits.
O, step between her and her fighting soul−
Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works−
Speak to her, Hamlet (III iv)
Besides, ghosts in Shakespere's plays, were only seen by the people directly involved in the crime (e.g. Julius
Caesar and Macbeth).
Hamlet takes the decision to stage the play within the play (scene ii, act III ) in order to unmask Claudius;
however, the play focuses on the Queen's behaviour rather than the King's assassination.
Scene four shows us how Hamlet mistreats his mother to the point that the ghost appears to calm Hamlet
down. The aforesaid and Hamlet's procrastination reveal, in my view, that Hamlet's main concern is the
Queen's behaviour. He had idealistic ideas concerning her virtue and expected more from her. We have to
remember his reflections about men: What a piece of work man! How noble in reason! How infinite in
faculty...in apprehension like a god! The parangon of animals! (II ii). After he realises her baseness, he was
distressed by the realisation that his ideals were unrealistic. It is hard for him to forgive Gertrude, he could
not attempt to understand her actions.
Eventually, the Prince and the Queen are able to come to terms with each other (One more word, good lady),
and Gertrude promises him not to keep Claudius as away from her as possible:
Be thou assured, if words be made of breath
And breath of life, I have no life to breathe
What thou hast said to me (III iv)
After this situation is overcome, Hamlet acquires the necessary boost to carry out his revenge. Also,
Gertrude's Hamlet with Hamlet reveals that she feels remorse about her marriage with Claudius. Hamlet's
claims echoes Gertrude's conscience:
O Hamlet, speak no more.
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul;
And there I see such black and greined spots
As will not leave their tinct (III iv)
These words not only bring to light guiltiness, but also they are lacerating:
O, speak to me no more;
These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears;
No more, sweet Hamlet! (III iv)
This is Gertrude's turning point. She has been avoiding to look into her own soul in an attempt not to face her
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own weakness and the fact that she can not have what she really want: unity and peace. Hamlet manages to
turn her eyes into her soul and see the black and grained spots (III iv). This is why I think that Gertrude
promises Hamlet not to sleep any longer with Claudius. Hamlet's words bring Gertrude to the reality in which
women had to under the authority of men. The Queen's love for Hamlet makes her take this decision;
Gertrude's inner conflict wore her out, so she finally finds some peace after her deal with the Prince.
However, their deal is somewhat like a plot. For instance, when Claudius is looking for Hamlet, Gertrude
tells the king about Polonius' death trying to soften the news:
To draw apart the body he hath killed,
O'er whom his very madness, like some ore
Among a mineral of metals base,
Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done (IV i)
Furthermore, it is well known that Hamlet feel no remorse about Polonius' death, he even derides the corpse:
....Indeed, this counsellor
Is now most still, most secret, and most grave,
Who was in life a foolish prating knave.
[To the body] Come, sir, to draw toward an end with you− (III iv)
Gertrude's problem may never be overcome just by appeasing her conscience. Her feelings about Hamlet do
not match what she feels for Claudius. Claudius thinks of Hamlet as a threaten, so he plots to kill him;
Gertrude is quite aware of Claudius' machination. Gertrude calms Laertes down when he comes back intended
to revenge his father; urged on, at Laertes' demands she smartly answers that Claudius was not the killer. In
other words, she protects Claudius and covers Hamlet at the same time. It is impossible to support both of
these positions; and this situation discloses Gertrude's main problem: the incapability of conciliating two
loves. Finally, she comes to the conclusion that she has to do something, and she is fatally drag by the
circumstances.
Polonius' death not only has political implications but also triggers Ophelia's condition. Gertrude does not
wish to meet Opehelia but I think that this is not a lack of sympathy but the fear of glimpsing her own
breakdown after the conversation with Hamlet. Her words reflect this situation:
Let her come in
To my sick soul, as sin's true nature is,
Each toy seems to prologue to some great amiss (IV v)
Nevertheless, Gertrude's attitude, later on, shows her fondness towards Ophelia, especially at the burial:
[Scattering flowers] Sweets to the sweet. Farewell!
I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife;
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I thought thy breide−bed to have decked, sweet maid,
And not have strewed thy grave (V i)
Rephrasing Claudius When sorrows come, they come not in single spies but in battalions! (IV v). Claudius
and Laertes plot to eliminate Hamlet. Claudius pours some poison in a cup of wine intended to Hamlet;
unfortunately, Gertrude, excited by Hamlet's performance during the duel, raises the cup and has the fatal
liquor. Her words show her love and proud of Hamlet:
He's fat, and scant of breath.
Here, Hamlet, take my mapkin, rug thy brows.
The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet (V ii)
Come, let me wipe thy face (V ii)
Ironically, the wife is victimised in the same way her late husband was.
CONCLUSIONS
This section is intended to summarise the most outstanding features of the characters here analysed.
Ophelia's role is a passive one. She is an obedient daughter; she is so much influenced by Polonius that she
can never go against his will. She always shows love and concern about Polonius; this is why she does as he
says, without complaining any. Ophelia's attitude towards Polonius and the Prince uncover her lack of
self−esteem. However, she can not be blamed about the aforesaid, because she is too young and
inexperienced; nevertheless, her own shortcoming make her the more honest and true of all characters in the
play. Again, her own shortcomings cause her to be trapped between her father's will and her love for Hamlet.
Hamlet's condition and her own problems come down heavily on her; unfortunately Polonius is murdered, and
Ophelia has to bear this situation alone. Because her position in the court, she is not allowed, by the dictates of
society, to act in any other manner but a proper young lady. She is the obedient little girl of the nobility who
lets her father run her life until madness gives her the freedom to mouth off.
Gertrude is also a weak character; because she strongly depends on her husband. She can not control the
circumstances that around her. Unlike Hamlet, Gertrude's expressions are shorter and direct: More matter, less
art, Methinks the lady doth protest too much, As kill a king. Her expressions make her look sincere. Also, she
is a very realistic character:
She does want to be happy. She tries to deal with the love she feels for Claudius and for Hamlet; however, this
is impossible. No matter how strong she may look, she is incapable of facing hard moments; hence, she lies to
herself, and she believes that happiness is coming soon.
At a first reading Ophelia may be thought of as a weak character and Gertrude the strong one.
Notwithstanding, their actions and reactions unveiled their weakness. Somewhat, somehow these two
characters are materialisation of Hamlet's sentence Frailty, thy name is women.
Men and prejudices exert a tremendous influence on Ophelia and the Queen; furthermore, men and prejudices
tear down their dreams and hopes. Men and prejudices lead all of their actions. They were also victimised by a
limited education, the law, set marriages, social conditions, and women's submission; in brief, the patriarchal
renaissance society. They cannot be blamed at all about their behaviour. They would have never been able to
go against the ways of their society.
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As a final comment, Ophelia and Gertrude are clear examples of Renaissance women. They show that
equality between men and women in any society, at any time, is of outmost importance when it comes to
educate human beings within a context of freedom and justice.
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