Queen Gertrude would be the character in Hamlet to commit the "bathroom selfie" crime. So many times, people will post a great picture of themselves, but remain oblivious to the toilet seat in the background, ruining their photograph. I thought it might be more appropriate to parallel the filthy toilet seat, with King Claudius's filthy act of murder, which sits right under the Queen's nose. Gertrude's fatal flaw is that she is so concerned with the things she can see-- like Hamlet's depression and keeping King Claudius happy-- that she often remains unaware of the rotten state of Denmark. At the beginning of Hamlet's game of charades, the new King asks Queen Gertrude why Hamlet is so depressed, and she answers, "I doubt it is no other than the main;/ His father's death, and our o'erhasty marriage" (2.2. 56-57). All of Denmark can tell that Hamlet is unhappy with his mother's hasty marriage, yet she sends his old friends to check up on him, and when Hamlet confronts the Queen in her bedchamber, she acts as though she truly has no idea what is making him so mad. She asks her son, " What have I done, that thou dar'st wag thy tongue/ In noise so rude against me?" (3.4.40-41). It seems as though, the Queen's flaw isn't only oblivion, but also forgetfulness. In the selfie, she forgot to crop out the murder taking place in the background, just like Hamlet thinks that she has forgotten her loyalty to King Hamlet Sr.
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