Hamlet was a political play written during the Renaissance era where the search and presence of truth

was a
major characteristic. As reflected in Shakespear’s play where deception and interpretation are major themes,
moreover the Elizabethan court of that time faced political uncertainty and fear, which is paralleled by the
mood and the events of the play. One of such, is the presentation of familial relationships in Hamlet, where
we are able to explore how hidden deception, the occupation of diverging roles, and blood obligations pave
the way for uncertainty and conflict to arise.

An individual occupying multiple roles in a family disrupts its structure and creates tension between the
different facets of their self. In the process of embodying different roles within an individual, conflicts of
interest are bound to arise between these selves and cause internal friction mentally. Gertrude’s roles, aptly
put by Cladius' as ‘sometime sister, now our queen’ shows the peculiar fluidity of familial relationships in
Hamlet. This scene particularly leaves the audience wary and sceptical towards the liberal nature of the royal
family, as the easy slippage of Gertrude from being Queen of Old Hamlet to that of Claudius suggests that
Denmark's political structure is overly loose and lacks stability. Moreover, this could be an attempt by
Shakespeare in critiquing the Elizabethan court that was facing a similar issue about succession. Gertrude’s
struggle when embodying roles of different priorities can also be seen from the parallel phrases of ‘O gentle
son……’ and ‘O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain’. Here, Gertrude faces a dilemma between her
maternal role as Hamlet's mother and her subservient role as the queen, claudius’ wife; as seen from the
juxtaposition of ‘gentle son’ and ‘Hamlet… cleft my heart in twain’. She is unsure and at odds with herself
whether to console and comfort her melancholic son or fulfil her task as set out by her king to find the root
of Hamlet's insanity. It is likely at this point that her body language on stage mirrors her conflict, as she is led
by Hamlet’s dominant movement on stage, and possibly pleads with him while in a crouching and
subservient position. Moreover, her use of a Janus word ‘cleft’ mirrors her conflit of mind and self and
internal division she faces as it is both an expression of division and a desire for unity. This shows how
Gertrude can never be wholly coherent within herself due to the irreconcilable demands of the various roles
she encompasses, creating internal tension. (effect: plot development, suspense)