WHAT WAS SHAKESPEARE'S INSPIRATION FOR GERTRUDE
besides Saxo Grammaticus & Belleforest?

Getrude, who after marriage to a great king, too-quickly marries not only a lesser man, but a patricide-murderer, her brother's husband ("incest")?

If Hamlet is in part a commentary on the end of the House of Tudor, then it may help to consider Gertrude as a composite character, made of aspects of various historical figures:

1. Catherine of Valois, who married the lowly Owen Tudor after the death of Henry V.

2. Anne Boleyn, accused of incest.

3. Mary, Queen of Scots, who married her second husband’s alleged murderer.

4. Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII, who, six months after Henry’s death, married Thomas Seymour, her old flame.

5. Henry VIII, who married Anne Boleyn five days after annulment of his marriage to Catherine Aragon;
who was courting Jane Seymour a month before investigation, charges, and arrest of Anne Boleyn;
and who married Catherine Howard 19 days after annulment of marriage to Anne of Cleves.

Henry may also have been inspiration for Claudius.

Some claim the play, set in Denmark, gives a nod to Anne of Denmark, wife of James I.

And of course, there are limits (intentional fallacy?) to speculation about the possible inspirations for an author....

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Links to a description of my book project:
On LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eJGBtqV
On this blog: https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2017/05/hamlets-bible-my-book-project-im.html

[Originally posted around the week of 1/15/18
on LinkedIn]