Title: A Wife for King Hamlet
Fandom: Hamlet (Shakespeare)
Rating: PG
Length:275 words
Summary: King Hamlet needs to marry.  The decision will be purely pragmatic.
(No, I do not share Hamlet's views on women)

It was, King Hamlet felt, like being at a crossroads.  He needed a wife, that much was certain, and both potential candidates brought with them equally useful connections.  Which was like looking down two pathways, both of which had the same initial appeal.

But both paths then took a sharp bend, which it was impossible to see round.  As far as Hamlet was concerned a wife was only necessary for two reasons: strengthening alliances with neighbouring states and bearing strong healthy male children to continue the royal line.  And whilst the former reason could be assessed with reasonable accuracy, the latter was like the path beyond the bend.

His initial thought was to go with Augusta, for her two older sisters had already given birth to three boys between them (and two girls, but they could be safely ignored), so she clearly came from good breeding stock.  But then he heard his younger brother, Claudius, praising the perfection of Gertrude.

It was typical of Claudius, who constantly had his head in a book, to look more at a woman’s beauty, and wit, than take into account the wider picture.  But beauty was a transient matter; indeed, there were enough beauties around who would be happy to oblige him without the obligation of marriage.

However, it seemed as though if he, Hamlet, were to marry Augusta, then Claudius would choose Gertrude for his own bride.  And that could lead to problems in the future, for if Claudius made an alliance with Gertrude’s family, they would have the strength to overthrow Hamlet.  Which was something he could not allow.

His decision was made, he would marry Gertrude.