Family Flashcards
Hamlet compares Gertrude to Niobe, who grieved so bitterly for her dead children that she turned to stone—almost as if he thinks it’s his funeral Gertrude attended and his death that Gertrude failed to mourn long enough.
“With which she followed my poor father’s body,
Like Niobe, all tears” (Hamlet)
Hamlet not only takes issue with his mother’s quick remarriage after his father’s death, he’s also disgusted by the fact that Gertrude is guilty of “incest.”
In Shakespeare’s time, incest included marrying your in-laws, not just your blood relatives. So, Claudius’ marriage to Gertrude is a big deal —they’ve broken the church’s laws of affinity.
“She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (Hamlet)
Laertes tells Ophelia that Hamlet can’t marry who he wants to—he has to marry for the country’s sake.
Laertes insists that a marriage between Ophelia and Hamlet is impossible.
Marrying for love is wrong?
“his choice depends The safety and health of this whole state.” (Laertes)
Laertes tells Ophelia that, if she sleeps with Hamlet, she’ll lose her honor. But this isn’t a moral argument on the ethics of premarital sex. He’s talking about the way Ophelia’s chances for a future marriage could be compromised—which is literally a matter of life or death for a young woman.
“Weigh what loss your honor may sustain” (Laertes)
Ophelia is submissive to her father, and does as she is told.
SHE IS A MARIONETTE
“I shall obey, my lord.” (Ophelia)
As King Claudius prays, he acknowledges that, by murdering his brother, Old Hamlet, he has brought upon himself the first (“primal”) and oldest (“eldest”) “curse,” which is a reference to the biblical story of Cain, who committed the first murder when he killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4.10-12).
“O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon ‘t,
A brother’s murder.”
Hamlet is dissapointed in his mother’s choices and tells her what her father thinks.
“Mother, you have my father much offended.” (Hamlet)
Claudius’ plan backfires and his wife drinks the poisoned drink, meant to kill Hamlet once and for all
“Gertrude, do not drink”
[…]
“It is the poisoned cup. It is too late.”
Despite Gertrude being poisoned, she persists to wipe her son’s brow (a motherly thing to do)
MOTHER AND SON RELATIONSHIP
“Come, let me wipe thy face.”
Hamlet’s opinion of his father being king
“So excellent a king”
