Which is the best description of how Gertrude is characterized in this passage?

A. Gertrude is oblivious to her son's grief and focuses on her own happiness.

B. Gertrude is sympathetic of her son's obvious distress and tries to comfort him.

C. Gertrude is critical of her son's continued mourning and urges him to move on.

D. Gertrude is saddened by her son's unhappiness and tries to distract him.

C). 'Gertrude is critical of her son's continued mourning and urges him to move on.'

Explanation:

In the given passage from one of the most acknowledged tragedies of Shakespeare i. e. 'Hamlet' (Act I, scene II), option C appropriately characterizes Gertrude as she was 'critical of her son's constant mourning over the death of his noble father and urges him to move on in life'. This characterization is exemplified through her statement when she says 'cast thy nighted colour off' and 'let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark'. Hamlet's mother is highly concerned towards him and therefore, requests him to stop putting on those black clothes in remembrance of his father as it is nature's cycle ('one who lives ultimately dies') and suggests him to move forward in life. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.