In Hamlet and Songs of Experience, both Shakespeare and Blake portray love as a destructive force. Whereas Shakespeare expresses the detrimental and restrictive effect of love through the character's duty, Blake conceptualises love as an emotional act performed for the well-being of others. Similarly, both manage to convey how a character's actions can be manipulated and dictated by love to cause havoc.
Gertrude is a character that has difficulty expressing her love for both Claudius and Hamlet as by showing love to either of them she is not fulfilling her duty to the other. Hamlet takes greater offence, ultimately verbally attacking her in her chambers. Hamlet feels as if she did not value her first husband as she was so quick to wed Claudius, …show more content…
Her defiance towards King Claudius is the first time she does not do her duty to her husband and it results in her death. It's likely that she is aware of what she is doing which is demonstrated through Shakespeare's use of rhythm. The catalytic line ‘Gertrude, do not drink' delivered by Claudius allows for a pause at the end of the sentence making his imperative more authoritative so that it will be obeyed. However, it is not. Shakespeare reintroduces his familiar rhythm of iambic pentameter when Gertrude responds ‘I will, my Lord. I pray you pardon me'. The use of iambic pentameter mirrors Gertrude's finality, again suggesting Gertrude knowingly poisoned herself. Further evidence is shown by Hamlets line ‘I dare not drink yet' suggesting that Gertrude offers the cup to Hamlet. This can be interpreted as her showing redeeming qualities as she apologises to Hamlet for the pain she has caused him, ‘I pray you pardon me', or as offering him a chance to kill himself. Conversely, she is unaware that the cup is poisoned as shown by the line ‘O my dear Hamlet... I am poisoned'. This line shows her love for Hamlet as she calls on him with her dying breath to warn him. This action contrasts Claudius' as he is unable to warn Gertrude of the poisoned cup ‘It is the poisoned cup! It is too late'. The exclamatory shows heightened emotion which makes it appear as if Claudius cares
Gertrude is a character that has difficulty expressing her love for both Claudius and Hamlet as by showing love to either of them she is not fulfilling her duty to the other. Hamlet takes greater offence, ultimately verbally attacking her in her chambers. Hamlet feels as if she did not value her first husband as she was so quick to wed Claudius, …show more content…
Her defiance towards King Claudius is the first time she does not do her duty to her husband and it results in her death. It's likely that she is aware of what she is doing which is demonstrated through Shakespeare's use of rhythm. The catalytic line ‘Gertrude, do not drink' delivered by Claudius allows for a pause at the end of the sentence making his imperative more authoritative so that it will be obeyed. However, it is not. Shakespeare reintroduces his familiar rhythm of iambic pentameter when Gertrude responds ‘I will, my Lord. I pray you pardon me'. The use of iambic pentameter mirrors Gertrude's finality, again suggesting Gertrude knowingly poisoned herself. Further evidence is shown by Hamlets line ‘I dare not drink yet' suggesting that Gertrude offers the cup to Hamlet. This can be interpreted as her showing redeeming qualities as she apologises to Hamlet for the pain she has caused him, ‘I pray you pardon me', or as offering him a chance to kill himself. Conversely, she is unaware that the cup is poisoned as shown by the line ‘O my dear Hamlet... I am poisoned'. This line shows her love for Hamlet as she calls on him with her dying breath to warn him. This action contrasts Claudius' as he is unable to warn Gertrude of the poisoned cup ‘It is the poisoned cup! It is too late'. The exclamatory shows heightened emotion which makes it appear as if Claudius cares