To draw apart the body he hath killed.
Over whom his very madness, like some ore
Among a mineral of metals base,
Shows itself pure: he weeps for what he has done.
– William Shakespeare
Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 1. Gertrude certainly displays a mother’s unconditional love for her son here, as she lies through her teeth about Hamlet’s remorse and tears over killing Polonius. Hamlet showed no remorse and called Polonius a “fool.” Gertrude uses a simile to compare the remorseful Hamlet to a pure metal that stands out from the other surrounding base minerals.