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He's asking her to compare his father and Claudius. In Hamlet's mind, his father was a paragon and his uncle a satyr. There is actually no reason to imagine that Hamlet is accurate in his assessment of the two brothers; in this play, we are constantly being drawn into Hamlet's own fantasy world and his warped perception of the people around him. Hamlet wants Gertrude to enter into his fantasy perception of Claudius and her relationship with him. But one of his remarks seems to have hit home: "Almost as bad, dear mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother." "As kill a king?" she asks, incredulous. And it seems as if she has never before contemplated the possibility that her first husband may have been murdered and her second husband did it. She is trying to get her head around this when Hamlet is going on about how wrong it is for her to have a sex life.

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Q: Why does Hamlet show Gertrude the two portraits?
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Whose portrait does hamlet show Gertrude Why?

In the "Closet Scene", Act III Scene 4, Hamlet says to Gertrude "Look here, upon this picture, and on this; the counterfeit presentment of two brothers." He is showing her two portraits, one of the late king Hamlet and one of the current king Claudius. Hamlet goes on and on about how perfect his father was and how awful his uncle is. He is trying to get her to share his opinions about his father and uncle. But it makes no sense: she knows better than anyone what the two men look like and are like. It hasn't bothered her before and why should it? So why does what he says turn her eyes into her very soul, entering like daggers in her ears and cleaving her heart in twain? What has Hamlet told her which is new? The answer is, probably, in Hamlet's line "As kill a king, and marry with his brother." Her response is "as kill a king??" Let's leave aside for a moment the fact that Hamlet is accusing her, not Claudius who he knows to be guilty. His accusation encompasses her as a party to the crime. But it may very well be that Gertrude had no idea before this moment that her husband had been murdered, but now that Hamlet has suggested it, things start to fall into place. It is this which upsets her, not Hamlet's comparison of his father and Claudius.


Did Queen Gertrude marries her dead husband's brother?

Actually, after old Hamlet died, Gertrude married a Norwegian spy so that they would combine the two countries and rule this larger piece of land together. Gertrude eventually becomes impregnated and gives prince Hamlet a brother and a sister.


What is the decoration for Gertrude's room in Hamlet?

I think I know the play pretty well, but I can't think of any "decoration" in Queen Gertrude's "closet" [her study and sewing room]. Maybe the question refers to these lines: "Look here, upon this picture, and on this, / The counterfeit presentment of two brothers." In these lines Hamlet refers to two pictures of two brothers: King Hamlet (Hamlet's father) and King Claudius (Hamlet's uncle). In performance, those pictures are sometimes represented as pictures on the wall of Queen Gertrude's closet, but they can also be represented as lockets, with Queen Gertrude's locket containing the picture of King Claudius, and Hamlet's locket containing the picture of his father, King Hamlet.


What two reaons does Claudius give Laertes for failing to apprehend Hamlet?

First, Hamlet is popular and Claudius wouldn't want to start a popular uprising. Second, he doesn't want to cause pain to Gertrude, who he genuinely loves and does not want to hurt.


What bothers Claudius and Gertrude about hamlets dress?

Well, Hamlet's male, so the fact that he's wearing a dress at all might be some cause for concern.Actually, "dress" in this case just means "clothing", and what bugs them about it is that Hamlet's wearing black, the color of mourning. Which really is fair enough, because his father died, but his mother (Gertrude) has since remarried (to Claudius, Hamlet's father's brother); the two of them want people to focus on the new king (Claudius) and forget about the dead one (Hamlet's dad), and Hamlet is dressed all in black moping about, serving as a reminder.

Related questions

Whose portrait does hamlet show Gertrude Why?

In the "Closet Scene", Act III Scene 4, Hamlet says to Gertrude "Look here, upon this picture, and on this; the counterfeit presentment of two brothers." He is showing her two portraits, one of the late king Hamlet and one of the current king Claudius. Hamlet goes on and on about how perfect his father was and how awful his uncle is. He is trying to get her to share his opinions about his father and uncle. But it makes no sense: she knows better than anyone what the two men look like and are like. It hasn't bothered her before and why should it? So why does what he says turn her eyes into her very soul, entering like daggers in her ears and cleaving her heart in twain? What has Hamlet told her which is new? The answer is, probably, in Hamlet's line "As kill a king, and marry with his brother." Her response is "as kill a king??" Let's leave aside for a moment the fact that Hamlet is accusing her, not Claudius who he knows to be guilty. His accusation encompasses her as a party to the crime. But it may very well be that Gertrude had no idea before this moment that her husband had been murdered, but now that Hamlet has suggested it, things start to fall into place. It is this which upsets her, not Hamlet's comparison of his father and Claudius.


Who warns Hamlet not to scold his mother?

The ghost of Old Hamlet warns Hamlet to not scold Gertrude. Hamlet was warned earlier "leaver her to heaven" (V v) and was warned later in the third act. The ghost warned Hamlet probably for one of two reasons, he still loved her or trying to change Gertrude would not work and who tried would go mad.


What two pictures does hamlet want Gertrude to look at?

one of my dick and the other of ya mom an my dick.


Did Queen Gertrude marries her dead husband's brother?

Actually, after old Hamlet died, Gertrude married a Norwegian spy so that they would combine the two countries and rule this larger piece of land together. Gertrude eventually becomes impregnated and gives prince Hamlet a brother and a sister.


How are Antigone Gertrude from Hamlet and Ophelia Hamlet similar?

Antigone and Ophelia are similar because they both are heartbroken over the loss of a loved one (in Ophelia's case two loved ones, Pelonius, her father. And Hamlet, her boyfriend). And Gertrude and Ophelia are similar because they both seem to have the need for someone to look after them and love them, because almost immediatly after Hamlet Sr. dies Gertrude moves right on to Hamlet's uncle for a sense of security. The same goes for Ophelia in that she goes completely insane after the loss of her father and after Hamlet acts like a jerk to her. But I don't see a common connection between all three of them.


Who is rosencrantz and guildenstern what motives do they have for carrying out the kings request?

They are two slightly bumbling courtiers,former friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg,who are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause of Hamlet's strange behavior


The 1990 film version of Hamlet featured what two movie stars?

The 1990 version of Hamlet starred Mel Gibson as Hamlet and Glenn Close as Gertrude. Supporting parts were played by Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Bates.


What do quotes in Act one scene two mean in shakespeares' Hamlet?

In Act 1, Scene 2 of Hamlet, the quotes primarily establish the mood of mourning and grief following King Hamlet's death. They also introduce the themes of deception and uncertainty, as characters grapple with their conflicting emotions and motives. Additionally, the quotes hint at the political tensions and power struggles within the court of Denmark.


What did the Wardrobe represent in Hamlet?

What is meant by the Wardrobe? The closet scene (Act 3 Scene 4) where we see Hamlet and his mother Queen Gertrude together alone for the first time? In this scene Hamlet releases his anger and frustration at his mother for the sinful deed she has committed i.e. her marriage to her brother-in-law and the murderer. We can see that Gertrude is unaware of her husband's murder when she says `As kill a King?' and it is the first time she confronts her own behavior. There is a conflict between the two; Hamlet gives powerful replies. All this remains private between the two of them.


What is the decoration for Gertrude's room in Hamlet?

I think I know the play pretty well, but I can't think of any "decoration" in Queen Gertrude's "closet" [her study and sewing room]. Maybe the question refers to these lines: "Look here, upon this picture, and on this, / The counterfeit presentment of two brothers." In these lines Hamlet refers to two pictures of two brothers: King Hamlet (Hamlet's father) and King Claudius (Hamlet's uncle). In performance, those pictures are sometimes represented as pictures on the wall of Queen Gertrude's closet, but they can also be represented as lockets, with Queen Gertrude's locket containing the picture of King Claudius, and Hamlet's locket containing the picture of his father, King Hamlet.


What two reaons does Claudius give Laertes for failing to apprehend Hamlet?

First, Hamlet is popular and Claudius wouldn't want to start a popular uprising. Second, he doesn't want to cause pain to Gertrude, who he genuinely loves and does not want to hurt.


Hamlet is upset for two reasons Why?

He is upset because his mom(Queen Gertrude) marries his uncle(Claudius) who is now the king right I don't know the second reason.