Gertrude 2nd post revised

Elijah Langston

Act 2 Scene 2 - Gertrude

This scene begins with Claudius requesting the presence of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two good friends of Hamlet. When the two men arrive, Claudius and Gertrude both present them with the task at hand. Hamlet has changed, and they feel these two good friends of Hamlet will be able to figure out what is bothering Hamlet, and help fix him.

Queen
"Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of you.
And sure I am two men there are not living
To whom he more adheres. If it will please you
To show us so much gentry and good will
As to expend your time with us awhile
For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king’s remembrance." (2.2.19-26)

This quotation highlights the Queen's plea to have these two men help the King and Queen. Gertrude understands her son's frustration, and would like her son's current state be returned back to normal as soon as possible. The Queen is effective in her plea with assuring their mission will "fit a king's remembrance" meaning they will be rewarded some how. The irony of this quotation is the fact that the Queen demonstrates the care she has for son by requesting help for him. I don't understand why she can't find same effort within her to console with Hamlet and sympathize along with him? Her care doesn't seem to very genuine or motherly.

This next scene we see the ghost of the former King and his message to Hamlet of his father's murder. The ghost gives descroption of the murder, how it takes place, and by what means Claudius accomplishes it. The ghost also includes ways Hamlet should go about avenging his father's death. The ghost also includes his thoughts on his former wife;

"Let not the royal bed of Denmark be

A couch for luxury and damnèd incest.

But howsoever 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

To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once.

The glowworm shows the matin to be near,

And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire.

Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me." (1.5.89-98)

 

This quotation highlights the unrighteousness of the queen and how wrong she was for sleeping with his brother. The ghost's feels this plan for revenge should rightfully defend the honorbale Denmark. Also, the ghost points out that no matter how vain her actions were, Hamlet should not seek to cause harm to her. The ghost would like the queen to deal with her own guilt for what she had done, and let God be the judge of her actions. Her actions will daunt her for a while, and that will be her punishment as long as she is on this earth. This is an example of the true character of the king, and the genuine commitment he had to his people and his wife. 

 

In Act 1, the reader experiences Hamlet's truest feelings for the Queen after she goes about marrying his uncle.

 

"...Heaven and earth,

Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him

As if increase of appetite had grown

By what it fed on, and yet, within a month—

Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!—

A little month, or ere those shoes were old

With which she followed my poor father’s body,

Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she—

O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason

Would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle,

My father’s brother, but no more like my father

Than I to Hercules. Within a month,

Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears

Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes,

She married. O most wicked speed, to post

With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!

It is not nor it cannot come to good,

But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue" (1.2.146-164)

 

Hamlet speaks of this memory he will never forget. He ask God, why this memory must consume his thoughts. He cannot comprehend what would motivate his mother to do something like this. Hamlet blame's women in general and says, they are weak and frail. Hamlet probably felt women are vulnerable when they love is lost, or when they're status is no longer at a high level. Hamlet feels even an animal would mourn longer for its mate than the Queen did for her own husband. This scene is powerful in how it depicts the strong dislike he has for his mothers actions at the time, and how much it has affected him emotionally. The reader cans sense much distress. 

 

This scene between Polonius and the Queen shows Polonius's true character, and how he is often deceiving and/or flaunting and tries to get much attention from the king and queen.

 

Polonius

"This business is well ended.

My liege and madam, to expostulate

What majesty should be, what duty is,

Why day is day, night night, and time is time,

Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.

Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit

And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,

I will be brief: your noble son is mad.

Mad call I it, for, to define true madness,

What is ’t but to be nothing else but mad?

But let that go

 

Queen

More matter, with less art." (2.2.92-103)

We see in this transaction between the two, the Queen is not easily moved by the fancy speech that Polonius gives. The queen likes to receive her information straight forward and directly to the point. Polonius moves around a lot, talking about nonsense such as;

"What majesty should be, what duty is,

Why day is day, night night, and time is time,

Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.". It was quite unecessary for Polonius to have this long exaggerated speech to simply inform what he believes to be wrong with the queen's son. The queen request that Polonius sticks with the point in her response, and be less flaunting.