Hamlet

This not only shocks the audience by the manner in which Hamlet uncharacteristically loses control but also displays his disgust at the incestuous relationship of Gertrude and Claudius as well as his own "lust" for his mother. In fact critic Raman Selden (Hamlet's word play and the Oedipus complex, 1988) states that, "His passionate and even violent behaviour towards her in the Closet scene has all the marks of sexual jealousy. As Jaqueline Rose puts it, "the violence towards the mother is the effect of the desire for her." Zeffirelli conveys this physical violence towards Gertrude so vigorously, by the way Hamlet manhandles and attacks her, that the audience is likely to be appalled and questions the sympathy they have had, up until this point, for Hamlet. In my view, Gertrude, in this version, is indeed painted as a weak and sexual woman, which is highlighted at the climax to this scene when she kisses Hamlet, not necessarily out of lust but more likely to quiet her ranting son in the only way she knows. Her obvious weakness, like that of the only other woman in Hamlet's life, is that she allows herself to be used by Claudius to find out his true state of mind, as with Ophelia in Act III scene II when, on both occasions Polonius was listening. Zeffirelli exhibits Gertrude's weakness not only by the powerless way she speaks lines such as, "Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended", with little conviction, but also by the way she is collapsed on to the floor, after Hamlet has revealed Claudius" true nature and whispers, "What shall I do?".
             From this interpretation of Hamlet, it is more difficult to conclude firmly whether or not this scene shows Hamlet's strength. For example, Hamlet shows domination by the way he aggressively enters the scene and seizes control of the conversation, "Now mother, what's the matter?" However, the fact that he overpowers Gertrude and belittles her does not necessarily reflect his strength as a character because she is a woman in an era when female opinions counted for little.