The Condemned and Condoned Mona Lisa: The Unique Characterization of Shakespeare's Gertrude

Abstract

Among the most interesting female characters in Shakespeare's oeuvre is Hamlet's Gertrude. Many studies have been conducted on the critical study of the character of Hamlet's mother. Critics have split in their views of Gertrude. Many condemn her and view her as an embodiment of the frailty her son used to describe her and gender; some even go far enough to suggest a role in her husband's murder. Other critics have accepted the apparition's word adulterate to convict her. On the other hand, other critics condole with Gertrude and see in her character marks of the dull and shallow type to think of murder. She is the malleable, weak character. Feminist critics, however, came forward to highlight traits in her character deliberately ignored by male critics and insist that Gertrude is intelligent, penetrating, and gifted with remarkable talent for concise and pithy speech. This paper focuses rather on Shakespeare's unique depiction of Gertrude's character. Such excellence in the representation of this character is strikingly brilliant by making the depiction of a character that provides ample textual proof equally to either side of the critics, condemners and condolers. In this, Gertrude stands matchless. She is the Mona Lisa who keeps smiling wherever you stand to look. No other Shakespearean character is exclusively undecided, providing critics and readers with enough substance for the two opposing factions. Thus, the unconventional character of Gertrude is another manifestation of Shakespeare's brilliance.