Mother-Son Relationships in Two Plays

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the mother-son relationship in two plays: Hamlet and his mother, Gertrude, in "Hamlet" by Shakespeare, and Amanda and Tom in "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams. It demonstrates how the two plays and the characters of the mothers are quite different and how, in "The Glass Menagerie", Tom is able to brush off his mother's domination after too much struggle. On the other hand, Gertrude is unable to dominate Hamlet, even though she tries. It also shows how Tom's relationship with his mother is that of an irritated son who cannot stand his mother's meddling, whereas Hamlet's relationship is based on revenge and hatred.

From the Paper:

"Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies written in around the 1600. The play is a melodrama of revenge, secrecy, madness and conspiracy. It revolves Hamlet, a prince of Denmark who's life is filled with tragedy. Initially he loses his father and while on the verge of recovering from this loss, he sees his mother Gertrude, marrying his Uncle Claudius within two months of his father's death. The shock of his mother's behavior is unbearable for Hamlet as he goes into severe depression and termed by some as complete madness. He fails to continue his studies and because of his mental state, his mother does not allow him to leave Denmark till he is completely stable."

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