George Washington University

The Character of Hamlet's Mother Author(s): Carolyn Heilbrun Reviewed work(s): Source: Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Spring, 1957), pp. 201-206 Published by: Folger Shakespeare Library in association with George Washington University Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2866964 . Accessed: 19/04/2012 01:21
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Mother ofHamlet's The Character

CAROLYN HEILBRUN thespecific HE character of Hamlet'smother has not received account thetraditional attention it deserves. Moreover, critical will not standup of herpersonality as rendered by thecritics play. underclose scrutiny of Shakespeare's as None of thecritics of coursehas failedto see Gertrude of the vitalto theactionoftheplay; notonlyis shethemother King of Denmark, hero,the widow of the Ghost,and the wifeof the current marriage, thewhole incestuous butthefactof herhasty and,to theElizabethans, importance occupiesa position of barelysecondary questionof her"falling off", in themindof herson,and of theGhost.Indeed,Freud and Jonessee her,the of the play.' as centralto the motivation objectof Hamlet's Oedipus complex, thatI have been able to find,have accepted But the critics, withno exception and have seen in as applying to herwholepersonality, Hamlet'sword"fraility" of her not one weakness, or passionin the Elizabethansense,but a character are the entireexwhichweaknessand lack of depthand vigorousintelligence be said thatcarrying the "stampof one defect", planation.Of her can it truly fault," from that particular she did "in the general censuretake corruption (I. iv.35-36). The critics are agreed thatGertrudewas not a partyto the late King's of it,a pointwhichon theclearevidenceof murder and indeedknew nothing or not Gertrude, They have also discussedwhether the play, is indisputable. adulterywith marriage", had committed guiltyof more than an "o'er-hasty Claudiusbefore herhusband's to thispointlateron. Beyond death.I will return with the who have dealt specifically discussing thesetwo points,thosecritics in seenheras well-meaning but shallowand feminine, Queen have traditionally the pejorative sense of the word: incapableof any sustainedrationalprocess, whicha closerreadingof theplay will superficial and flighty. It is thistradition show to be erroneous. thus: Professor describes thetraditional Gertrude Bradley The Queen was nota bad-hearted woman, notat all thewomanto think of murder. and was very dull and But she had a softanimalnature little She lovedto be happy, likea sheepin thesun,and to do her shallow. very likemoresheepin thesun. ... herto see others happy, justice, it pleased and see smiling facesaroundher, It was pleasant to sit upon herthrone in grieving forhis father and unkind inand foolish in Hamletto persist steadof marrying comfortable. . . . The Opheliaand making everything
1 Shakespeare, M.D. London: studyby ErnestJones, William: Hamlet,witha psycho-analytical VisionPress,1947, pp. 7-42.

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was thattheworldis a placeconstructed of herheart at thebottom belief that sensual in it in a good-humored fashion.2 simply peoplemaybe happy comesto her"thegood in her Later on, Bradleysaysof herthatwhenaffliction the heavymass of sloth." through to the surface naturestruggles he says, Shakespeare, is notquite so extreme. Granville-Barker who clingsto her thewomanwho doesnotmature, givesus in Gertrude will notchangebut at last to it,whosecharm and all thatbelongs youth to refusing as we see her,desperately creature, a pretty fadeand wither; and she has strokes, growold.... She is drawnforus withunemphatic in Claudius' She movesthroughout buta passive partin theplay'saction. ofhiswit.3 shadow; heholdsheras he wonher, bythewitchcraft neversee fortywho will certainly says"Gertrude ElsewhereGranville-Barker actress.] byan older,mature be 'old'. [That is,portrayed better fiveagain,might is vitalto likelihood withClaudius-and their wouldmakeherrelations But that a woman herethat is saying (p. 226). Granville-Barker theplay-quite incredible" yearsof age cannotfeelany sexualpassionnor arouseit. This about forty-five about is one of the mistakeswhich lie at the heartof the misunderstanding Gertrude. of these thaneither as moreforceful Dover Wilson sees Gertrude Professor to shockher theGhost'sunwillingness will admit, but even he finds two critics of the play, to be one of the basic motivations withknowledgeof his murder is alwayshopingforthebest."4 and he saysof her"Gertrude her husband'sdeath, before or after Claudius won Gertrude Now whether of his wit" with"thewitchcraft implies, not,as Granville-Barker it was certainly by would have us believethatClaudius won hersimply alone.Granville-Barker thattheQueen "does theforce of his persuasive tongue."It is plain",he writes, littleexcept echo his [Claudius'] wishes; sometimes-as in the welcome to and Guildenstern-she repeatshis verywords" (p. 227), though Rosencrantz Withdoes nottellClaudius everything. Wilson mustadmitlaterthatGertrude burdenborne of the Ghost,or the greater out dwellinghereon thepsychology and "wit", we can plainlysee, forthe by the Elizabethanwords"witchcraft" to his brother Ghosttellsus, how Claudius won theQueen: theGhostconsiders in a celestial bed and prey "will sateitself and "lust",theGhostsays, be garbage, or more-is the key on garbage"(I.v.54-55)."Lust"-in a woman of forty-five and to a lesserextentProfessor Dover Granville-Barker, word here.Bradley, becausethey Gertrude are unableto see lust,the largely Wilson,misunderstand in theElizabethansenseof the word, as the passion, desireforsexualrelations, to an incestuous marriage, appals theweaknesswhichdrivesGertrude theflaw, Unable to explain her marriageto her son, and keeps him fromthe throne. woman,theyfail to vacillating Claudius as the act of any but a weak-minded forthe strong-minded, and, apart fromthis succinct, intelligent, see Gertrude passion,sensiblewoman thatshe is. Gertrude it is onlynecessary to examinethe lines To understand properly, of Shakespearehas chosen for her to say. She is, exceptfor her description
2

Tragedy (New York: Macmillan,1949), p. x67. A. C., Shakespearean Bradley, Press,1946), I, University to Shakespeare(Princeton Harley,Prefaces Granville-Barker, 4 Wilson,J.Dover, WhatHappens in Hamlet (CambridgeUniversity Press,1951), p. 125.
3

227.

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Ophelia's death, concise andpithy in speech, with a talent for seeing theessence ofevery situation presented before hereyes. If sheis notprofound, sheis certainly never silly. We first hear her asking Hamlet tostop tostop wearing black, walking about with hiseyes downcast, andto realize that death is an inevitable part oflife. Sheis,in short, asking himnottogivewayto thepassion ofgrief, a passion of whoseforce and dangers wereaware, as Miss theElizabethans Campbell argument has shown.5 Claudiusechoesher witha well-reasoned against grief which was,in itsphilosophy ifnotin itslanguage, ofcoma piece monplace Elizabethan lore.After Claudius' speech, Gertrude asksHamletto in Denmark, remain where he is rightly loved. Her speeches havebeenshort, however of a warm and conciseness is notthemark and loving, of statement dullandshallow woman. We next hearher, as Queenand gracious hostess, Rosencrantz welcoming and Guildenstern to thecourt, withtheKing,thatthey hoping, maycheer him.ClaudiusthentellsGertrude, Hamletand discover whatis depressing when they arealone, that Polonius is upsetting believes he knows what Hamlet. The Queenanswers: I doubt itis noother than the main, His father's death andouro'er-hasty (II. ii.56-57) marriage. Thisstatement is concise, remarkably to thepoint, and nota little courageous. It is notthestatement of a dull,slothful woman whocan onlyechoherhusband's words. Next, Polonius enters with hismost unbrief apotheosis tobrevity. The Queeninterrupts himwith five words: "Morematter with lessart"(II. ii. 95). It wouldbe difficult to find a phrase more applicable to Polonius. When thisgentleman, in no way deterred from his loquacity, after purveying the newsthat he has a daughter, startling begins to reada letter, theQueenasks "Camethis pointedly from Hamlet toher?"(II. ii.I14). We see Gertrude nextin Act III, asking Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, with herusualdirectness, ifHamlet received them well, and ifthey were able totempt himtoanypastime. Butbefore theroom, shestops for a word leaving of kindness to Ophelia. It is a humane forshe is unwilling gesture, to leave Ophelia, tooloftheKingandPolonius, theunhappy without somekindly and intelligent appreciation ofherhelp: Andfor your part, Ophelia, I do wish That your good beauties bethe happy cause So shall I hope OfHamlet's wildness. your virtues Willbring him tohiswonted way again, To both your honors. (III. i.38-42) to seein this It is difficult speech, as Bradley apparently does, thegushing shallow wishofa sentimental woman that classdistinctions shallnotstand in the wayoftrue love. At theplay, theQueenasksHamlet to sitnearher. She is clearly trying to him inthe hehasa place make feel court ofDenmark. Shedoesnotspeak again asksherhowshelikes until Hamlet theplay. "The ladydoth toomuch, protest methinks" comment on the player (III. ii. 240) is herimmortal queen.The
5 Campbell, Lily B., Shakespeare'sTragic Heroes (New York: Barnes & Noble, 1952),
I I 2-113.

pp.

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sheasks"How leaps tohisfeet, Claudius her when words: four more scene gives fares myLord?"(III.ii.278). to follow in theQueen'scloset, passoverthescene I willforthemoment scene, theQueen After thecloset oftheplay. theremainder through quickly her he, hasaskedherto,that as Hamlet him, She tells to Claudius. comes tospeak he nowweeps that however, Sheadds, Polonius. andhaskilled is mad, Hamlet, forwhathe has done.She does notwishClaudiusto knowwhatshe now Later, shedoesnotwish has become. Hamlet knows, howwildand fearsome bursts WhenLaertes sheis,consents. howdistracted buthearing toseeOphelia, Claudiusand stepsbetween she immediately Claudius, in readyto attack whohaskilled it is notClaudius Laertes theKing,andtells toprotect Laertes whomanages butitis Gertrude this, soonlearn willofcourse Laertes hisfather. and Laertes She leaves damage. he can do anymeaningless to tellhimbefore is drowned. his sister that to tellLaertes returns and then theKingtogether, thepainofit, willincrease suspense that realizing directly, She gives hernews would conciseness in theplaywhenherusualpointed is theonetime butthis and at some norkindness, and so,gently, of intelligence be themark neither from to recover of hissister's himtime death, giving shetells Laertes length, funeral ofher words. AtOphelia's andtoabsorb ofgrief, themeaning theshock over thegrave: flowers theQueenscatters tothe farewell! Sweets sweet; my Hamlet's-wife. have been I hop'd thou shouldst maid, sweet tohave bride-bed deck'd, I thought thy strew'd t' have Andnot (V. i.266-269) thy grave. and ofsomeone onepresent thedeath young, mourning decently Sheis theonly ofsome in thefire passion. personal notheated Hamlet that theQueenbelieves between Hamlet andLaertes, Atthematch himherhandkersport, shegives butgladtoseehimat some is outoftraining, The drink andshe is poisoned anddrinks tohissuccess. chief towipehisbrow, on vituperation; shewarns time shediesshedoesnotwaste dies.Butbefore to prevent hisdrinking is poisoned it.Theyareherlast that thedrink Hamlet admire herdeath;they call herstupid whohavethought Thosecritics words. ituncharacteristic. in hercloset are his nerves In Act III, whenHamletgoesto his mother The possioftension; he is on theedgeofhysteria. at thevery height pitched entered and he has just has in fact hismind, hismother of murdering bility His mother, waittokillClaudius. meanwhile, an opportunity andrefused met for when shesees nottofear butsheknows Polonius hastold her, him, ingfor tells mad.Hamlet insults he may be violently her, that her, quipswith Hamlet and whenshe,stillretaining shewerenothis mother, dignity, herhe wishes forhelp.The Hamletseizesherand shecries to end theinterview, attempts me" to noteis thattheQueen'scry"Thou wiltnotmurder thing important thathe is demeanor Hamlet's She has seenfrom (III. iv.2i) is notfoolish. to be. he proves himself instant as indeed in thenext ofmurder, capable "As killa king"(III. iv.30) that from theQueen'sstartled learn We next confirmation this is only ofcourse ofthemurder, though shehasnoknowledge know.Then theQueenasksHamletwhyhe is so hereof whatwe already hysterical:

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tongue that thoudar'st wag thy WhathaveI done, me? (III. iv.39-40) In noiseso rudeagainst whichhas drivenher Hamlet tellsher: it is herlust,theneed of sexualpassion, charms cruder of herhusbandto theincomparably thearmsand memory from He criesout thatshe has not even the excuseof youthforher of his brother. lust: hell, blush?Rebellious is thy 0 Shame!where bones, in a matron's mutine If thoucanst be as wax letvirtue youth To flaming no shame Proclaim in herownfire. Andmelt givesthecharge, ardor Whenthecompulsive dothburn, as actively itself Sincefrost And reason will.(III. iv.82-88) panders of out of jointall the structure This is notonlya lust,but a lustwhichthrows And the Queen admitsit. If thereis one and relationships. human morality every speechof Gertrude's and will characterize, qualitythathas characterized, it. This talentis and to express to see reality clearly, in theplay,it is theability not lostwhenturnedupon herself: 0 Hamlet, speakno more! soul, mineeyesintomyvery Thou turn'st spots Andthere I see suchblackand grained (III. iv.88-9i) tinct. As willnotleavetheir She knowsthatlusthas drivenher,thatthisis her sin,and she admitsit. Not of her sin. No more,she cries, thatshe wishesto lingerin the contemplation him mad no more.And thenthe Ghostappearsto Hamlet. The Queen thinks again-as well she might-but she promisesHamlet that she will not betray him-and she does not. of "a soft is therethe picture Where,in all thatwe have seen of Gertrude, shallow?"She mayindeedbe "animal"in the verydull and very animalnature, But it does not followthatbecauseshe wishesto continuea senseof "lustful". herbrainis softor herwit unperceptive. lifeof sexualexperience, woman, as a weak and vacillating havingacceptedGertrude Some critics, before to Claudius' charms see no reasonto supposethatshe did notfallvictim Professor withhim.These critics, adultery thedeathofherhusbandand commit tellshis son Bradleyamongthem (p. i66), claim thatthe elderHamlet clearly with Claudius in the speechbeginning adultery thatGertrude has committed Dover Wilson beast" (I. v. 41ff.). Professor thatadulterate "Ay thatincestuous, the argument: presents of Claudiusand marriage hereof the o'er-hasty Is the Ghostspeaking to an end, rapidly is drawing term" not.His "certain Assuredly Gertrude? themorning air." Hamletknewof to "scen't beginning and he is already of withnauseaat thethought and his wholesoul was filled themarriage, waste theGhost should sheets." to"incestuous Whythen thespeedy hasting ofbefore? whathe was fully cognisant Hamlet moments in telling precious was applicable to the martheword"incestuous" though . . . Moreover, like to it. Expressions inapplicable therestof thepassageis entirely riage, lust",and "seeming "seduce","shameful "traitorous gifts", "witchcraft", of thequotation leavesno But therest virtuous" maybe notedin passing. doubt uponthematter.... (P. 293)

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word theGhost's haveaccepted critics DoverWilsonand other Professor howword"adultery", The Elizabethan meaning. in itsmodern "adulterate" anysexual butwasusedtodefine meaning, toitsmodern wasnotrestricted ever, an incestuous of course including couldbe calledunchaste, which relationship andGerone.6 considered ofClaudius theelder Hamlet themarriage Certainly "adulterate" hisuseoftheword andwhile andunseemly, tobe unchaste trude it wouldnotto an Elizathemarriage, about feelings strong hisvery indicates to havebeenfalse Gertrude he believed meanthat necessarily audience bethan doesnot theGhost too,that to notice, It is important hisdeath. to himbefore the and he maywellhaveconsidered to Gertrude, "adulterate" theterm apply life. sexual entire ofClaudius' term a justdescription of its in fullawareness usedtheword"adulterate" ButeveniftheGhost on thebasisof this to assume it is notnecessary meaning, restricted modern we haveforsucha conof evidence (and it is theonlyshadow speech single It is quiteprobhe lived. to himwhile was unfaithful Gertrude that clusion) andhe to Gertrude, married himself considered still Hamlet theelder ablethat him("whyshewouldhangon himas if herlustfor that revolted is moreover transhaveso easily itfedon") should bywhat hadgrown ofappetite increase "shameful "seduce", he usestheexpressions Thisis why toanother. itself ferred knewof said"Hamlet DoverWilsonhas himself Professor and others. lust", of the nauseaat thethought with and hiswholesoulwas filled themarriage, unwas Hamlet of the elder the soul incestuous sheets"; to hasting speedy his usingsuch filled withnauseatoo,and thiscouldwellexplain doubtedly at all.It is thematter tomention thetime as wellas histaking strong language, ofthe thespeech toaccount for Gertrude an adulteress toconsider notnecessary Ghost. to theplotthanwe mayat more important lustwas,ofcourse, Gertrude's kept howShakespeare hasshown others, Lewis, among Charlton perceive. first the maintaining without heborrowed which from oftheplots ofthefacts many Gertrude story, Belleforest In theoriginal them. whichexplained structures oftheking;to names)wasdaughter familiar more Shakespeare's (substituting in marrying her.The elderHamlet, to marry king, become it was necessary theshellof retained from Shakespeare thethrone.' ousted Claudius Gertrude, would ofelection theform hasa husband, in hisplay. Whensheno longer this hersonHamlet. in this caseundoubtedly thenext king, to declare be followed and my th' election Claudius"popp'din between Gertrude, By marrying flaw Gertrude's from thethrone. Hamlet young is,kept (V. ii.65), that hopes" of the advantage forwithout taking ambition possible, of lustmadeClaudius' he couldnothavebeenking. tobe married, desire still Queen's and gifted is also intelligent, penetrating, if she is lustful, But Gertrude, theperson In all theplay, andpithy for concise talent speech. a remarkable with to thesweet", is Horatio. "Sweets resembles hers most closely whose language at the Horatio sweet "Goodnight says prince", grave. shehassaidat Ophelia's oneofthem though orslothful, orshallow, ofthem dull, end.Theyareneither slave. is passion's New YorkCity New School,
6

i6-I9.
7

Conscienceand the King (London: Chatto and Windus, 1953), Bertram, See Joseph, M., The Genesisof Hamlet (New York: HenryHolt & Co., 1907), Lewis,Charlton p. 36.

pp.