Hamlet Act 3 Scene 4

          In Act 3, scene 4 Hamlet finally confronts his mother, Gertrude. King Hamlet’s ghost told Hamlet that he is not to kill his mother like he is to kill Claudius, but that does not mean the Gertrude is blameless and deserves no repercussions. Hamlet finally releases some of his fury in this conversation with his mother. In the scene he picks up a picture of the two brothers, King Hamlet and Claudius, together. Hamlet compares his father to a god, describing his “eye like Mars’ to threaten and command” (III.iv.67). He also compares him to Jove and Mercury. Then he transitions into speaking of Claudius and has nothing but disgust for the man. He is in utter disbelief that his mother “would step from [King Hamlet] to [Claudius]” (III.iv.81). He goes on to say that there must be something wrong with his mother’s senses, or she must have been tricked in some way. Otherwise, he sees no plausible reason why she would so quickly marry Claudius after his valiant father’s death. However, maybe that is just it. There was no reason in Gertrude’s act. She allowed her brain to shut down and simply acted rashly. She allowed emotion to take over, and now she has lost her son. Hamlet is unwilling to forgive her. He is not going to kill her, but that does not mean that Gertrude is not figuratively dead to Hamlet.