The appearance and the death of Polonius are significant and dramatic. The death of Polonius is a turning point of the change of Hamlet’s attitude and the language towards Gertrude. Before the death of Polonius, they exchange odd conversation- ‘Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.’ ‘Go, go you question with a wicked tongue.’ It hits the audience that Hamlet does not take the conversation with Gertrude seriously. It signifies the nature of external relationship between them is unconcern. However, after the death of Polonius, the subject of conversation develops and it seems that Hamlet is sane. It is proved by Hamlet’s awareness of his target. ‘Is it the King?’ However, the relationship becomes aggressive as Hamlet is attacking Gertrude mentally, discussing moral issues in a metaphors- ‘To flaming youth let virtue be as wax/ And melt in her own fire’ Moreover, after the death of Polonius, Gertrude is extremely threatened. Under the menace of the murderer of Polonius, it is questionable whether Gertrude is actually taking Hamlet’s word seriously or she is pretending to listen to him to avoid any further appearance. Therefore the relationship between them is not identified clearly.
The appearance of the ghost is a dramatic turning point of the nature of the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude. Hamlet and Gertrude show different reaction towards the ghost. Hamlet can see the ‘gracious figure’ of the ghost and talks while Gertrude cannot see the ghost. Strangely, the ghost was seen by other people, such as Marcellus, soldiers and Horatio in Act1, Scene 1. It suggests two possibilities.- The ghost’s evilness or Hamlet’s madness. By witnessing her son talking to the air, Gertrude confirms her son’s madness and now withdraws her belief and faith. Moreover, the nature of the relationship between them is reversed and Gertrude now pities her son. ‘O Hamlet, thou has cleft my heart in twain.’ By losing his mother’s faith, Hamlet should stand alone against Claudius and his serious lecture and persuasion is fruitless. Furthermore, further recovery of their relationship gets harder.
In Act III, Scene 4 and whole play, Hamlet and Gertrude have questionable relationship and their relationship has been criticised many times. The relationship between them is unnatural. With the reference to Act V, Scene 1, the audience is told that Hamlet’s age is 30. ‘I have been sexton here/ man and boy, thirty years.’ Now thirty years old man is instructing his mother what she should do with her husband and is offended by her marriage. Historically, usually the queen was expected to marry with a man to share the power and rule the country. For example, in 16th century, Queen Mary Tudor married Phillip II of Spain to rule England. In addition, the queen may bring some problems. Bloody Mary ruled England violently and Queen Elizabeth I left no heir who could rule England after her. Hamlet’s oversensitive reaction and rude attitude towards Gertrude’s marriage is abnormal and suggests his insanity and hysteria. Many reasons for the conflicts can be suggested. Also the audience can have different interpretations on the relationship- Hamlet’s anger towards her mother’s immoral marriage or his jealous towards his uncle.
Hamlet’s exceptional response to his mother’s marriage may suggest Oedipus complex. The setting of closet itself gives nuance of secret and private love. Old Hamlet and young Hamlet have the same name and it suggests parallel between them. Therefore, Hamlet does not want his mother to be taken by Claudius. His attachment and jealousy is performed in the way of a rude attitude. In portrayal scene, Hamlet’s biased interpretation on the picture of old Hamlet and Claudius is expression of jealousy and justifying him and his father’s righteousness. Moreover, by juxtaposition of him and his father, Hamlet demands his mother’s attention and love on the quiet.
The other purpose of Hamlet’s speech is testing Gertrude’s involvement of Claudius’s murdering old Hamlet. The relationship between Gertrude and Hamlet is full of suspicions, which is also shown I Act 1. Hamlet tries to ensure her involvement and finally, he gets quite possible answer. ‘Oh Hamlet speak no more./ Thou turn’st my eyes into my very soul, / And there I see such black and grained spots/ As will not leave their tinct.’ It is unclear whether her soliloquy means innocence or confession. The relationship between them gets more uncomfortable by her speech. As well as Hamlet, Gertrude shows her aspect of suspicion towards Hamlet. Her suspicion is proved by allowing Polonius’s eavesdrop. The mistrust between Hamlet and Gertrude is very significant, because it alternates audience’s opinion whether Hamlet is honest or acting. As the play ‘Hamlet’ is a revenge tragedy, Hamlet can use Gertrude as a tool to achieve is revenge. With Gertrude’s unfaith, Hamlet uses her to report to the king ensuring Hamlet’s madness as he used Ophelia and Polonius previously. Actually Gertrude tells the king everything and his plan is quite succeeded.
Hamlet’s speech of ‘As kill a king and marry with his brother’ has two purposes. One of the purposes is to criticise Gertrude against her misconduct with Claudius and at this moment, the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude is uncomfortable, because Hamlet chides his mother and causes conflicts. According to the Book of Common Prayer, ‘A woman may not marry with her husband’s brother’. This setting is based on Henry VIII’s unhappy marriage with Catherine Aragon, which is again forbidden by the bible. Moreover, it also suggests such an immoral conduct causes a disastrous downfall.
Overall, dramatic entrance of the ghost and death of Polonius brings about consequence reversions and the change of relationship between them. In the play ‘Hamlet’, Gertrude and Hamlet show their relationship through their language and attitude, which is unstable unnatural, suspicious and oedipal. The nature of their relationship is very important in ‘Hamlet’, because it determines and emphasises the plot and themes of Hamlet.
