Hamlet and The Glass Menagerie: How Protagonists Hurt Their Flawed Mothers
How did Tom Wingfield and Prince Hamlet abuse their mothers who are flawed? William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark was first published in 1603, Tennessee Williams published The Glass Menagerie in 1945. Although both play’s protagonists are from different eras, Tom Wingfield and Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark have similar characteristics that they use to hurt their mothers. Both Hamlet and Tom are smart, emotional, and fluent with words to the point where it makes them able to hurt their mothers' feelings.
Tom and Hamlet have selfish and deceitful mothers, so the sons seek to learn the reality of their mother’s intentions and circumstances. The…show more content… Hamlet clearly shows his insight into the nature of his mother and uncle’s relationship by this inquisitition; he has already figured out that Gertrude did not marry Claudius out of love. He supports his idea by alluding to her age, saying that old ladies like her don't marry at that age – instead, they wait “upon the judgement”., such as having control and power over Denmark.
Prince Hamlet was not the only one who used his intelligence to abuse his mother; Tom too is smart, but in his own unique way. And for that reason, Tom and Hamlet have abused their mothers since they are smart.
Not only are Tom and Hamlet smart, but they are also overly emotional. That makes them feel the truth, since they went through a lot of emotions, through their antic disposition. And since Hamlet is extremely empathitic, he can feel what Gertrude really is doing, or even feel what she has gone through. This specific characteristic has helped Hamlet seek the truth from Gertrude. For example, after Hamlet had humiliated Gertrude and let her feel the guilt for marrying Claudius, her husband’s brother, she expressed her feelings when she stated: “O Hamlet, speak no more/ Thou turn’st my eyes into my very soul, / And there I see such black and grained spots/ As I will not leave their tinct.” (Shakespeare
