Gertrude is the Queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, and now Claudius’ wife. We do not get to see her on her own in any scenes, or hear her thoughts via any monologues throughout the play, so we do not get a clear view of her perspective, unlike many other main characters. This makes her one of the most mysterious figures in the play. She does demonstrate great deal of love for her son, Hamlet, but he thinks that she is simply a weak-minded, overly emotional woman. He accuses her of being lustful due to her hasty marriage to Claudius, which contradicts his expectations of her as an Elizabethan woman. She experiences some verbal abuse from Hamlet about remaining uncorrupted as a result. It is reasonable to assume that Gertrude complies with a lot of the demands asked of her due to her distinct need for self-preservation; she will do anything to stay safe and feel needed.
