Hamlet Essay: The Unlike Characters of Gertrude and Ophelia

settlement -- the Unlike Characters of Gertrude and Ophelia The Shakespe bean tragedy Hamlet features two ladies who are very unlike in character. Queen Gertrude, denounced by the ghost as faithless to King Hamlet, is visualised as evil by many, while Ophelia is seen as pure and obedient and full of good virtues. Lets explore these two unlike people. Rebecca Smith in Scheming Adulteress or winsome Mother presents an unusually clean image of the present queen that is not consistent with that of the old queen presented by the ghost Although she may have been partially responsible for Claudius monstrous act of fratricide and although her marriage to Claudius may have been indirectly responsible for making a monster of Hamlet, Gertrude is never seen in the bend inducing anyone to do anything at all monstrous. . . . When one closely examines Gertrudes actual speech and actions in an attempt to understand the character, one finds little that hints at hypocrisy, suppression, or unc ontrolled passion and their implied complexity. . . . She speaks plainly, directly and chastely when she does speak . . .. (81-82) The biggest difference between the two ladies is perhaps the moral difference. Who can deny that the Queen has do some very serious sinning? Who can deny that Ophelia is a shy, obedient, innocent daughter? Lilly B. Campbell comments in Grief That Leads to Tragedy on Queen Gertrudes sinful state Shakespeares picture of the Queen is explained to us by Hamlets speech to her in her closet. There we see again the picture of sin as evil willed by a reason perverted by passion, for so much Hamlet explains in his accusation of his mother You cannot accost it love, fo... ...Shakespeares Tragedies. Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. from Shakespeares Women. N.p. n.p., 1981. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http//www.chemicool.com/S hakespeare/hamlet/full.html Smith, Rebecca. Gertrude Scheming Adulteress or Loving Mother? Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from Hamlet A Users Guide. newly York Limelight Editions, 1996. West, Rebecca. A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption. Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT Yale University Press, 1957. Wilson, John Dover. What Happens in Hamlet. New York Cambridge University Press, 1999.