Hamlet -- the different characters of Gertrude and OpheliaThe Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet features two ladies whose characters are very different. Queen Gertrude, denounced by the ghost as unfaithful to King Hamlet, is described as evil by many, while Ophelia is seen as pure, obedient and full of good virtues. Let's explore these two different people. Rebecca Smith in "Scheming Adultress or Loving Mother" presents an unusually "clean" image of the current queen that is not consistent with that of the former queen presented by the ghost: Although she may have been partially responsible for the Claudius' monstrous act of fratricide and although her marriage to Claudius may have been indirectly responsible for Hamlet's transformation into a "monster", Gertrude is never seen in the play inciting anyone to do anything monstrous. . . . When one closely examines Gertrude's actual speech and actions in an attempt to understand the character, one finds little that hints at hypocrisy, repression, or uncontrolled passion and their implicit complexity. . . . She speaks clearly, directly and chastely when she speaks [. . .]. (81-82)Perhaps the biggest difference between the two ladies is the moral difference. Who can deny that the Queen has committed very serious sins? Who can deny that Ophélie is a shy, obedient and innocent girl? Lilly B. Campbell comments in “Grief That Leads to Tragedy” on the sinfulness of Queen Gertrude: Shakespeare's picture of the queen is explained to us by Hamlet's speech to her in his closet. We find there the image of sin as the bad will of a reason perverted by passion, as Hamlet explains in his accusation against his mother: We cannot call it love, for... . in the middle of a paper.... ..Shakespeare's tragedies. Readings on Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. of Shakespeare's Women. Np: np, 1981.Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Hamlet, prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.htmlSmith, Rebecca. “Gertrude: scheming adulterer or loving mother? » Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from “Hamlet”: A User's Guide. New York: Limelight Editions, 1996. West, Rebecca. “A Court and a world infected by the disease of corruption.” Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957. Wilson, John Dover. What happens in Hamlet. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.