Shakespeares Earliest Tragedies - Book Report/Review Example

The ghost of King Hamlet characterizes Gertrude as "my most seeming-virtuous queen"(1.5.53), recognizing that his former wife only pretends to be virtuous. She became an adulteress, and out on only a brief display of mourning after her husband's death before rushing to "incestuous sheets" (1.2.162). In this act, Gertrude allowed herself to become completely corrupted by the serpent, Claudius. The queen upholds her impurity when she knowingly allows Polonius to spy on Hamlet during her personal conversation with him, degrading her respect for her own son, and turning to the path of deception.

In nearly all instances, Gertrude allows her actions to be controlled by the king of corruption, Claudius. Her willingness to conform to his demands is unnatural, as is most of the world of Denmark, and demonstrates her overall moral weakness. Such a person according to Shakespeare, lookout to find more and more information about the person whom he wants to destroy. As in the play Hamlet does. (Hunter 28) This play also shows us another side of Hamlet's intelligence, his evenhandedness and his realization of his bias and want for vengeance.

Hamlet himself would perhaps take any little movement by Claudius as an admission of guilt simply because he is angry with his father's death and wants reprisal so very badly. Hamlet needs to avenge his father's death by killing Claudius.