Hamlet Group

Question:

hunar
hunar
Student

In "Hamlet," does Gertrude have a hand in Claudius's crime?

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Posted by hunar on Saturday January 27, 2007 at 11:02 AM and tagged with characaters, claudius, complicity, gertrude, hamlet.

Answers:


  1. a-b

    I just studied this... Hamlet learns that Gertrude was having an affair with Hamlet's father before he was murdered. So while she may not have actively murdered him, she was involved in some way. Hamlet says that it's her weakness that is her problem " "Frailty, thy name is woman" (I, ii, l.146)"

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/q-and-a/does-hamlet-really-h...

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    Posted by a-b on Saturday January 27, 2007 at 12:58 PM


  2. bmadnick Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    It isn't clear how involved Gertrude is in the murder of her first husband. She marries Claudius only a few months after the king is murdered, but the Ghost of Hamlet's father tells Hamlet not to harm her. Wouldn't King Hamlet's want revenge on her as well if she had been a part of it? She is dependent on Claudius and is easily manipulated by him, so she could be easily fooled by him. In Act I, the Ghost denounces Claudius for seducing Gertrude. Critics disagree whether this means Gertrude was having an affair before the king's death, or if the Ghost was referring to their marriage after his death. By the final scene, Gertrude seems to suggest that she was unaware of the crime. This is one of those questions where you could make an argument either for or against Gertrude's involvement.

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    Posted by bmadnick on Saturday June 9, 2007 at 2:09 PM

  3. revolution
    revolution Teacher
    Doctorate

    No. She was manipulated and deceived by Claudius so she was unaware and have no knowledge of the crime that he had committed, making herself look like a fool. Yes, he was once have an affair with Hamlet's father before his death but everything is all caused by Claudius and everything should be blamed on him, nothing else.

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    Posted by revolution on Sunday July 26, 2009 at 6:39 AM