Women in Hamlet Exam Newest 2026 Questions
and Correct Detailed Answers Already Graded A+
Dr Hannah Lavery: "Gertrude's position both as a mother, sexual woman, and
political figure makes her a troubling, silenced figure within the play" - CORRECT
ANSWER-She is a representation of the blurred lines between the domestic and
the political spheres, areas of society that were both threatened during the
Elizabethan period
Gertrude is a representation of the paradoxes for the expectations of women, the
virgin and the *****
Marguerite Tassi: "In fulfilling her tragic role, the end crowns all; in the final
moments of her life, she performs an extraordinary act... - CORRECT ANSWER-
...that gives Hamlet motive and cue for killing the King"
Marguerite Tassi: "In fulfilling her tragic role, the end crowns all; in the final
moments of her life, she performs an extraordinary act that gives Hamlet motive
and cue for killing the King" - CORRECT ANSWER-Gertrude becomes the
collateral damage for the revenge genre
One of the least developed characters of the play - mainly serves as a plot
piece/pawn for the other characters
For modern audiences, her underdevelopment serves to highlight the oppressive
Elizabethan society
,C.L.Barber: "Shakespeare's art is distinguished by the intensity of... - CORRECT
ANSWER-...its investment in the human family"
explanation for: C. L. Barber: "Shakespeare's art is distinguished by the intensity
of its investment in the human family" - CORRECT ANSWER-Hamlet is
concerned both by the external and internal threats to Elsinore
A play about Kings and court which develops on, and explores the philosophy of
the family
Women were expected to remain confined to the domestic sphere, thus female
characters rarely existed outside of this within theatre
However Gertrude takes on both a political and domestic role, but is considered
to be an indication of the corruption of the court and is met with little sympathy
in the play, was Shakespeare condemning her for this? Link to Elizabeth
The Ghost, A1S5: "Ay that incestuous, that adulterous beast, with witchcraft of his
wit, with traitorous gifts,-- o wicked wit, and gifts... - CORRECT ANSWER-...that
have the power so to seduce! --won to his shameful lust the will of my most
seeming-virtuous queen"
analysis for: The Ghost, A1S5: "Ay that incestuous, that adulterous beast, with
witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,-- o wicked wit, and gifts that have the
, power so to seduce! --won to his shameful lust the will of my most seeming-
virtuous queen" - CORRECT ANSWER-Gertrude is presented as a prize to be
"won", in some sense she is dehumanised as a trophy for the male characters,
whilst the ghost's use of "most" projects an image of vulnerability and innocence
onto Gertrude that contrasts Claudius the "adulterous beast"
The qualifier "most" is also used to describe Gertrude in A1S5, in which Hamlet
calls her the "most pernicious woman" - in both cases, the men project an
exaggerated image onto Gertrude
"Seeming-virtuous" explores the play's theme of appearance vs reality
Repetition of "w" stresses these words in the passage: "witchcraft", "wit",
"wicked wit", "won", a storyline of manipulation (similar to the book of Genesis),
and emphasises the supposed frailty of women
Multiple speculations on why Gertrude marries Claudius (Hamlet even suggests
they had an affair before his father's death), but Shakespeare does not let us hear
this from Gertrude. This communicates both the anxieties that existed over
female sexuality, and the lack of voice afforded to women - we hear about
Gertrude's sexuality from the male perspective, never for ourselves (it thus could
be exaggerated out of disgust/attempts to control)
Hamlet, A1S2: "incestuous sheets"
A3S4: "an enseamed... - CORRECT ANSWER-...bed stewed in corruption"
and Correct Detailed Answers Already Graded A+
Dr Hannah Lavery: "Gertrude's position both as a mother, sexual woman, and
political figure makes her a troubling, silenced figure within the play" - CORRECT
ANSWER-She is a representation of the blurred lines between the domestic and
the political spheres, areas of society that were both threatened during the
Elizabethan period
Gertrude is a representation of the paradoxes for the expectations of women, the
virgin and the *****
Marguerite Tassi: "In fulfilling her tragic role, the end crowns all; in the final
moments of her life, she performs an extraordinary act... - CORRECT ANSWER-
...that gives Hamlet motive and cue for killing the King"
Marguerite Tassi: "In fulfilling her tragic role, the end crowns all; in the final
moments of her life, she performs an extraordinary act that gives Hamlet motive
and cue for killing the King" - CORRECT ANSWER-Gertrude becomes the
collateral damage for the revenge genre
One of the least developed characters of the play - mainly serves as a plot
piece/pawn for the other characters
For modern audiences, her underdevelopment serves to highlight the oppressive
Elizabethan society
,C.L.Barber: "Shakespeare's art is distinguished by the intensity of... - CORRECT
ANSWER-...its investment in the human family"
explanation for: C. L. Barber: "Shakespeare's art is distinguished by the intensity
of its investment in the human family" - CORRECT ANSWER-Hamlet is
concerned both by the external and internal threats to Elsinore
A play about Kings and court which develops on, and explores the philosophy of
the family
Women were expected to remain confined to the domestic sphere, thus female
characters rarely existed outside of this within theatre
However Gertrude takes on both a political and domestic role, but is considered
to be an indication of the corruption of the court and is met with little sympathy
in the play, was Shakespeare condemning her for this? Link to Elizabeth
The Ghost, A1S5: "Ay that incestuous, that adulterous beast, with witchcraft of his
wit, with traitorous gifts,-- o wicked wit, and gifts... - CORRECT ANSWER-...that
have the power so to seduce! --won to his shameful lust the will of my most
seeming-virtuous queen"
analysis for: The Ghost, A1S5: "Ay that incestuous, that adulterous beast, with
witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,-- o wicked wit, and gifts that have the
, power so to seduce! --won to his shameful lust the will of my most seeming-
virtuous queen" - CORRECT ANSWER-Gertrude is presented as a prize to be
"won", in some sense she is dehumanised as a trophy for the male characters,
whilst the ghost's use of "most" projects an image of vulnerability and innocence
onto Gertrude that contrasts Claudius the "adulterous beast"
The qualifier "most" is also used to describe Gertrude in A1S5, in which Hamlet
calls her the "most pernicious woman" - in both cases, the men project an
exaggerated image onto Gertrude
"Seeming-virtuous" explores the play's theme of appearance vs reality
Repetition of "w" stresses these words in the passage: "witchcraft", "wit",
"wicked wit", "won", a storyline of manipulation (similar to the book of Genesis),
and emphasises the supposed frailty of women
Multiple speculations on why Gertrude marries Claudius (Hamlet even suggests
they had an affair before his father's death), but Shakespeare does not let us hear
this from Gertrude. This communicates both the anxieties that existed over
female sexuality, and the lack of voice afforded to women - we hear about
Gertrude's sexuality from the male perspective, never for ourselves (it thus could
be exaggerated out of disgust/attempts to control)
Hamlet, A1S2: "incestuous sheets"
A3S4: "an enseamed... - CORRECT ANSWER-...bed stewed in corruption"
