Chapters 1-6 Summary Freak the Mighty

Nervous, defensive

Gertrude is a difficult character to decipher, because of the lack of dialogue this character displays. For the most part, she remains passive, and obeys the commands of her husband. Towards Act IV, however, we can appreciate that she is starting to feel repentant and guilty about her marriage, which makes her adopt a defensive position. Moreover, both when she faces Claudius after Hamlet kills Polonius, and when she witnesses the insanity of Ophelia, she appears nervous, and unsure of how to act.