Oh! How I love my current life just as much as I enjoyed my life with Hamlet before his death. Claudius has provided me with so many fancy gifts and wonderful treasures that i will love him forever for. After the death of Hamlet, my late husband, I was absolutely crushed and in tears. Like my son put it, "With which she followed my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears" (1.2.148-149). I didn't know when I could possibly overcome the pain of his passing. However, in swooped my hero, my beloved Claudius! He created a new filling to the hole that was left in my heart and I love him so much for it. He was also so broken by the death of his brother, my husband, yet he still made time to provide for me. As he put it, "Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen...In equal scale weighing delight and dole-Taken to wife" (1.2.8-14), he remarried to me so quickly for the well being of the country and himself.
Honestly, that's just how my love is. Always thinking of others. As upset as he is about the death of his brother, he still manages to stand up and stay strong in front of all of our people. He is well aware of the threats that Fortinbras is attempting to gain the territory his father lost because of my late husband. Ha! How silly he is thinking he can take advantage of my man. Even with ALL this pressure of being the new king and pleasing the people, he continues to amaze me with making time to show my son the affection he needs during this transition period. He encourages Hamlet and helps him coupe with the loss in such a great way. The other day, he told him, "'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to you father. But you must know your father lost a father, That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound In filial obligation for some term To do obsequious sorrow" (1.2.87-92). I don't think I could put it any better...he really is just the perfect man and I am so honored to be his wife, his queen.
Now onto another topic....Hamlet is being such a baby about his father's death. Does he think he's the only one struggling to overcome this tragedy? We're all still very shocked and in much pain, just like him. But he just refuses to move on! He continues to wear clothes of "nighted color" (1.2.68) to mourn for his father and he makes it so obvious that he is still full of loom and gloom. I worry that he will never get out of this depressed state but with Claudius's help and assistance, I believe we will be able to carry him into the light once more. It is just how my sweetheart has said about mourning, "But to persever In obstinate condolement is a course Of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly grief. It shows a will most incorrect to heaven, A heart unfortified, a mind impatient, An understanding simple and unschooled" (1.2.92-97). I hope to God that dear Hamlet will learn to be more like his new father and stand up strong for the good of the people since...he is the next in line for the throne. Well I have spoken my mind...I will stop for today. I will be back soon!
Ha! Surely you must be joking when you say that you grieved your former husband's death after he passed. After having heard of the player's speech on Priam and Pyrrhus, I compare you to the wife Hecuba. "When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport in mincing with his sword her husband's limbs, the instant burst of clamor," (2.2.493-495). You, like Hecuba, simply stood around and watched. You married your own husband's brother in no time at all after the older Hamlet passed. I do agree however that it is easy for you to see how hard this has been on Hamlet. "I doubt it is no other but the main: His father's death and our o'erhasty marriage," (2.2.56-57). While you are right that this has upset him there must be more than either of us know. My lord Hamlet is not crazy and I wish you would not classify him as such.
ReplyDeleteHoratio Boi
Michael, interesting response. :-)I like these lines, Eric: "Honestly, that's just how my love is. Always thinking of others. As upset as he is about the death of his brother, he still manages to stand up and stay strong in front of all of our people. He is well aware of the threats that Fortinbras is attempting to gain the territory his father lost because of my late husband. Ha! How silly he is thinking he can take advantage of my man." It really does demonstrate her innocence in the whole matter.
ReplyDeleteThis explanation of how your life is better now than it was before Hamlet is almost comical in its lake of sincerity. If you had taken anybody else's feelings into account, for instance Hamlets, these unfortunate events that have taken place may have not happened. Running off with you husbands brother right after he passed was an irresponsible thing to do and has show to have weighed on Hamlets mind more than anyone had ever suspected.
ReplyDeleteOh my dear Gertrude I am so happy to hear that you approve of my love for you and Hamlet when I said "Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to you father. But you must know your father lost a father, That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound In filial obligation for some term To do obsequious sorrow" (1.2.87-92). I am so happy that you know how much I love Hamlet as if he were my own son! However I disagree that you think that I'm trying so hard to seem happy when I said "Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen...In equal scale weighing delight and dole-Taken to wife" (1.2.8-14) I did it because I love you with all my heart! I'm doing it because I want you to love me more and more!
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