A Prequel to Hamlet

In the playbill for the Stratford production of Hamlet (cf. 11/17/2013 post), I came across a reference to the novel Gertrude and Claudius by John Updike.  I made a note to find the book.  While I was familiar with Updike, it was only passingly so.  In junior year of high school, I drew his name for an English term paper.  In a bit of self-absorbed rebellion, I managed to write the paper without reading much of his work.  I noted in Updike a seeming preoccupation with sex, a point I raised in the paper.  Now, roughly twenty years later, it was time to return to the author's work.

The novel is a prequel to the action of Hamlet.  It uses historical sources for the legend to develop the back stories of Gertrude, Claudius, Hamlet (Senior) and the rest.  Reading it from start to finish in little more than a day, I found it to be an excellent work that sets the stage for Shakespeare's play.

The novel opens in Elsinore, the castle of Rorik and the late Ona, parents of Gerutha.  It would be best to pause to mention an issue with the characters' names.  Updike gives an explanation as to the origin of the various spellings of the names of the characters in the novel, namely the historical sources of the story.  He does not explain why he chose to make it confusing for the reader, though.  Gerutha becomes Geruthe and then Gertrude.  Horwendil, Gerutha's first husband becomes Horvendile.  For some unknown reason after his death, he is called Hamlet, as is his son (who began life as Amleth and then became Hamblet), a complication that confuses even Gertrude.  Feng, brother to Horwendil, becomes Fengon and then Claudius when he takes the Danish crown.  (Taking a new name upon coronation makes some sense at least.)  Corambus, Horwendil's Lord Chamberlain becomes Corambis and takes the name Polonius upon Claudius' accession to the throne.  Confused?  You would not be alone.  To make matters easier, I will use only the Shakespearean names in this post (except Horwendil, which distinguishes that character from his son).

Back to the action.  We are introduced to Gertrude at the age of 19 (or 17, it varies).  She is betrothed to Horwendil, a hard drinker who manages to pass out prior to consummation of the wedding night.  We meet his brother, Claudius, a worldly and wily politician.  Polonius is on the scene very early as Lord Chamberlain to Rorik and later to Horwendil.  He has two children, Laertes and Ophelia, by his late wife.  He serves also as confidant to Gertrude, a role that leads to later complications.  Shortly after marriage and on the day Fortinbras is killed by Horwendil, Gertrude gives birth to Hamlet.  We discover that the sickly lad befriends Yorick during his childhood years.  The young Hamlet is described as fond of actors and of self-oration.

The relationship between Horwendil and Gertrude is strained and cold, and Gertrude looks for and takes comfort from Claudius.  Their relationship proceeds from that of in-laws to that of lovers, a situation helped along by a conniving Polonius, who provides them a "love nest."  The secret is spilled to Horwendil by Claudius' valet.  Horwendil confronts Claudius and resolves to banish him and to execute Polonius for conspiracy and Gertrude for adultery.  Polonius, as one might expect, overhears the entire exchange while eavesdropping.  He volunteers to Claudius the information regarding Horwendil's afternoon nap in the orchard, as well as a way to sneak into and out of the area unnoticed.  After a hurried trip to his own manor to retrieve some poison, Claudius murders his brother in order to save Polonius, Gertrude and himself from punishment for their treachery.

With Horwendil dead, seemingly of a scorpion's sting, Claudius is free to propose to Gertrude, who accepts.  We begin to learn about Hamlet's advances on Ophelia.  Although Hamlet is 30 and Ophelia 17, Gertrude justifies that by comparing the age discrepancy at her first marriage.  Gertrude states that she fears Hamlet, and Claudius decides it would be best to keep Hamlet around to strengthen his own regal position.  The story ends shortly after the wedding ceremony, as Claudius permits Laertes to return to Paris but asks Hamlet, who has managed to spend ten years at Wittenberg, to stay with the family at Elsinore.

What I found most interesting in the novel is the way that Updike foreshadows the action in Shakespeare's play.  Some of this is done with literary allusions.  Early in the story there is a reference to Gertrude "protesting too much."  A later line, "There's a shape in things, fiddle and fuss however we will around the edges," reminded me immediately of Hamlet's line about divinity (V, ii, 11).  Polonius uses his "Neither a borrower" line on Gertrude, and references are made to "reechy" kisses and something being "rotten."  There is a discussion of nunneries, of Hamlet playing the ghost, and even of Claudius' oration in "iambic cadences," as if that were a normal manner of speaking.

Other characters make fleeting appearances in the action of the story.  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are introduced, but presumably as the fathers to Hamlet's university friends of the same names.  Reynaldo is mentioned as Polonius' spy in Paris, and Cornelius and Voltemand get a nod as they head to Norway to speak to the king.

There is a repeated use of the word subtle, as well as its negative.  Various character behaviors are described as such.  One item that is not subtle is Updike's sexual fascination.  Within the first 11 pages we are treated to "untamed raven hair between parted white thighs."  There are even more glowing references, which I leave for readers to find for themselves.

The description of Claudius in the closing lines of the novel chill the reader, who knows undoubtedly what is to come:  "He had gotten away with it.  All would be well."