Hamlet

What is Gertrude's role as a mother?

I need to write a series of 4 letters that adress the essential questions To what degree can an individual's choices and actions influence the direction of his or her life? And What does it mean to be successful, and what role does failure play? It needs to adress gertrudes role as a mother. I am not sure what her role as a mother was. Could anyone help me with this response? it would be greatly appreciated.

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Many critics think Hamlet had a "thing" for his mother. For a guy mourning the death of his father, Hamlet sure is obsessed with the sexual habits of his mother. He is very upset by the fact that Gertrude had wed his Uncle so soon after her husband's death. Hamlet is preoccupied with his mother's sexual habits throughout the play. He wonders how, at her age, she could hang from Claudius, As if increase of (sexual) appetite had grown... He directly chastises his mother for having sex with his uncle, "Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love. Over the nasty sty..."Hamlet is so frustrated (perhaps sexually) with mother that he colors all women as "frail". So did Hamlet have a thing for mummy? I'm inclined to see some truth to this but I would not let that cloud the other major themes in the play. Beyond that, Gertrude is a character that truly cares for Hamlet. Hamlet sees this softness which is, in part, why he is so concerned about her. I hope this helped a little.