Gertrude

Question 1

Submission to G

Answer 1

“I shall in my best obey you madam” (mother)

Refusing to let him go to Wittenberg – reinforcing Claudius’ wishes and Hamlet’s contempt at her obedience

Question 2

Mythical character who lost her children, cried and turned to stone but still cried

Answer 2

“Like Niobe, all tears”

Mythical character who lost her children, cried and turned to stone but still cried – highlighting her hypochondriasis and falsity in her mourning.

Question 3

Incest

Answer 3

“Incestuous sheets”

Cannot believe his mother’s disloyalty

Question 4

‘wicked speed’ of G’s grievance and marriage

Answer 4

“The funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables”

“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!–”

Attempting to portray the ‘wicked speed’ in which the marriage happened

Question 5

Much offended

Answer 5

“Mother, you have my father much offended” (in retaliation to ‘Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended’)
They are both using Old Hamlet to justify their upset.

Question 6

Daggers

Answer 6

“I will speak daggers to her, but I shall use none”

Sums up his inability to act – shows his affection for her? Irony lies in how he DOES use it.

Question 7

Frailty

Answer 7

“Frailty, thy name is Woman”

He condemns his mother’s actions for moving on – irony in that it is exactly what he fails to do. Shows his preconceived misconceptions towards women; has an assumption about their nature instilled in his judgement.