Some of the most interesting female characters in Shakespeare's writing are Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Viola and Olivia in Twelfth Night, and Gertrude, the Queen of Denmark and Hamlet's mother, in Hamlet. ... Gertrude, the Queen of Denmark, is obviously the most privileged and possibly powerful of the women who are considered here given her position as a royal. ... Hamlet is offended and embarrassed; he cannot understand why his mother would even want another relationship, but more importantly, he cannot accept that she flouts social norms and conventions by failing to...

• Word Count: 2208
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate