Quote Analysis

Hamlet directs Gertrude's attention to two portraits—one of his father, one of Claudius—and begins a point-by-point comparison to show her the difference between the two brothers.

The word 'counterfeit' is double-edged: it means 'portrait,' but it also means 'fake' or 'imitation,' so Hamlet implies that Claudius himself is a fraudulent copy of his brother. By framing the comparison as visual evidence ('Look here upon this picture'), Hamlet positions himself as a prosecutor presenting exhibits, forcing Gertrude to see what he sees. This moment shifts the scene from emotional confrontation to something closer to a trial, where Hamlet controls both the evidence and the interpretation.

Support a thesis that Hamlet stages this scene as a courtroom drama—he uses visual rhetoric to 'prove' Gertrude's guilt by making her see the two men side by side, as if comparison alone is condemnation.