William Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, is recognized as a depiction of the inner workings of the human mind and illuminates the internal struggle that Hamlet faces after the death of his father. The cause of Hamlet's conflict is the sudden death of his father, the strained relationship with his mother and the decisions she makes immediately after his death. In the tragedy of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet's turbulent relationship with his mother, Gertrude, makes it clear that dramatic changes in a person's circumstances can have a negative impact on one's psyche. AYes no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the play, the death of Hamlet's father causes Hamlet to isolate himself from others and become increasingly self-deprecating and cynical. Hamlet's speech contains self-deprecating language that indicates his numerous attempts to convince himself to act. Hamlet chastises himself by declaring himself a “thieving and peasant slave,” signaling that he is troubled by his inability to act or avenge his father. Hamlet further forces himself into inaction by repeatedly berating himself. He calls himself a "confused scoundrel" and an unmotivated "John-a-dreams". Hamlet recognizes that he does not have the courage to seek revenge, so he reiterates that his intentions are simply dreams that will fail because they are based on a false reality. Furthermore, he questions his own ambition by highlighting his internal inability to act. Hamlet continues his self-deprecation by calling himself “pigeon-livered,” because he has not developed the courage to act. Psychologically, Hamlet believes that the only way to deal with his fear is to repeatedly assert his weakness. Hamlet calls himself an “ass” for not taking action and then bitterly remarks how he was “very brave” in neglecting his “dear father” who was murdered and whose “dear life” was defeated. Toward the end of his speech, Hamlet acknowledges the futility of his thoughts, claiming that he must "like a whore open my heart with words." Hamlet's only method of dealing with his self-doubt and indecisiveness is through his soliloquies. Hamlet recognizes the existence of a motive in his case, namely the Ghost's exciting narrative and his mother's behavior; therefore, Hamlet dreams of fulfilling his function to avenge his father's death. While Gertrude initially showed deep sorrow over King Hamlet's death, she quickly turned to the comfort of others for solace. Hamlet discovers everywhere he turns that people are not as they seem, starting with his mother. His sense of justice becomes clouded and his view of women is distorted due to his feelings for Gertrude. Furthermore, his mother's dejection seems to be the catalyst that transforms an expressive young man into a hesitant and reserved man who hides his innermost feelings. The characterization of Gertrude – as sensual and selfish – is provided by Hamlet and the Ghost. Hamlet frequently mentions his mother's sexuality and is obsessed with her relationship with Claudius, describing their relationship as "incestuous". The Ghost, in addition to Hamlet, cites Gertrude's licentiousness as the cause of her rapid marriage to her brother. Gertrude's relationship with Claudius defines her character towards both her son and her deceased husband, and even taints the reader's perception of her as an effeminate and lustful individual. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay, however, Gertrude does nothing to confirm or deny this judgment. Hamlet and Gertrude.