This document analyzes the character of Gertrude from William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. It provides background on the story, noting that Gertrude is Hamlet's mother who married her late husband's brother Claudius after he murdered Hamlet's father and claimed the throne. The document examines Gertrude's roles in several scenes and how she views Hamlet, concluding that women like Gertrude and Ophelia in the play are portrayed as weak, submissive, easily manipulated and having limited roles without individuality.