Preview

Does Hamlet Really Love Ophelia

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1243 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Does Hamlet Really Love Ophelia
“I did love you” (III.i.125) Hamlet, confesses that he does love Ophelia. In the play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, Hamlet denies the fact that he loves Ophelia, Hamlet and Ophelia have been watched almost every time they talk, this leads Hamlet to say that he does not love her anymore. Hamlet says all those awful things to Ophelia because he is afraid Claudius would take revenge on him, which would would leave Ophelia all alone.
Later, Polonius tells Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet, as they had been spending a lot of time together by telling her “’Tis told me he hath very oft of late/ Given private time to you, and you yourself/ Have of your audience been most free and/ bounteous” (I.iii.98-102), Polonius …show more content…
In one of the encounters with Ophelia, Hamlet walks into Ophelia’s closet and looks, by all means: disgusting, filthy, gross, improper, and rude. In this part of the play, Hamlet tells Ophelia to “Get thee to a nunnery” (III.i.125), Hamlet could have been mocking Ophelia, because Hamlet thinks or knows that Ophelia is pregnant. In this case, if Ophelia is pregnant, he was only looking out for her in a way where he is trying to lead Ophelia to a nunnery to seek help, this was their baby comes out ok. Hamlet could have also said this to Ophelia because he’s trying to throw everyone off, given that Hamlet has put on an antic disposition, he has to act crazy and he knows everyone in Denmark has a good eye on him so he has to make it believable, even if he really loves Ophelia, he has to just put it aside to protect her and …show more content…
He tells Ophelia that among all else, he truly loves her and the love for her is real. This is the one time in the play, before her funeral, that Hamlet shows his love to her. Yet, once she receives the letter, she hands it over to her father, Polonius, Hamlet doesn’t trust Polonius. For that matter, Hamlet acts crazy to protect Ophelia, by throwing everyone off as I have said before because he loves her. Yet it is unsure whether Ophelia and Hamlet had sex, in the letter he sends Ophelia, he talks about her bosom “To the celestial, and my soul’s idol, the/ most beautiful Ophelia- / in her excellent white bosom, these etc.” (II.ii.117-121). Hamlet gives Polonius the impression in his letter to Ophelia, that he has been having sexual encounters with Ophelia. Only a theory, Hamlet loves Ophelia and that is what most readers
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Revenge in Hamlet and Frankenstein
    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Revenge in Hamlet and Frankenstein

    Prince Hamlet full of despair and grief to love and life. Since Hamlet knows the truth about his father’s death, he begin treat Ophelia ruthless. At the beginning, old Hamlet was alive, Hamlet love Ophelia deeply. We can see from the letter wrote from Hamlet to Ophelia “ doubt thou the star are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love.” (2.2.115-118) When Hamlet back, he realized Ophelia already dead, he finally breaking down “ What is he whose grief bears such an emphasis, whose phrase of sorrow conjures the wand’ring stars, and make them stand like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, Hamlet of Dane.”(5.1. 245-249) I love Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love. (5.1.258-259) We can see from here Hamlet love Ophelia so much, why he keeping hurting Ophelia with rude attitude and hurtful language? Why Hamlet doesn’t tell Ophelia truth? I think maybe he has own trouble, maybe he doesn’t want Ophelia turns into this tragedy. Even though she knows the all things, she can’ t help Hamlet anymore, it will increase the risk of revenge. Another reason why Hamlet can’t continue keep romantic relationship with Ophelia because has to…

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ophelia's Farewell Analysis
    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ophelia's Farewell Analysis

    Ophelia was a modern day good girl gone bad. She obeyed her father, Polonius, and brother, Laertes’ wishes to stay away from Prince Hamlet while trying to fight for her love for Hamlet and being herself. Throughout the entire play Ophelia is used as pawn in a game of revenge between Hamlet, Polonius, and King Claudius. Polonius and Laertes forbid Ophelia from seeing Hamlet because they believe that he is only using her for sex, yet Polonius uses her to seek information from Hamlet as though she were his personal spy. Although Hamlet loves Ophelia and genuinely cares for her, he sees the danger he and the royal court pose on her. Hamlet wants to get her away from the corruption while putting on an act for King Claudius to prove that he is really mad, and in that attempt, acts as though Ophelia means nothing to him. He treats her in the same manner he treats his mother and all women for that matter. Hamlet sees all women as ignorant and deceitful. Despite Ophelia’s ability to see through Hamlet’s charade, there is still a sense of pain in the words he speaks to her. “Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell...To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell.” (Act 3.1) This had to have been the largest insult to Ophelia ever spoken, but was not meant in that…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet Rough Draft Essay
    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Hamlet Rough Draft Essay

    Hamlet's love is reflected by his actions. For example, when Hamlet jumps into Ophelia’s grave and fights, he claimed, “Forty thousand brothers, if you added all of their love together, couldn’t match mine.”(Shakespeare #). Hamlet is expressing extreme feelings of his affection by shouting out a statement such as this. Hamlets severe love for Ophelia is forcing him to fight someone he doesn’t hate at all. In addition, when Hamlet is pushing Ophelia away he tells her, “Get yourself to a convent at once. Why would you want to give birth to more sinners?”(Shakespeare #). This shows that Hamlet doesn’t want Ophelia to lose her purity. He feels he has lost himself, but doesn’t want anyone else to, especially Ophelia.…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Did Hamlet Turn Against Ophelia
    • 138 Words
    • 1 Page

    How Did Hamlet Turn Against Ophelia

    After Hamlet started to turn against Gertrude because of her actions, he took the anger and used it against Ophelia. Hamlet says to Ophelia “God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another. You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname God’s creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance.” (III.i.142-145). He comments on the way women mask their faces, all being unfaithful and dishonest. Hamlet completely loses trust in Ophelia after she was not honest with him and turned her back on him and listened to her father instead. Ophelia deceived Hamlet and in turn he is rude to her and continues to tell her that his love for her was false and demands that she go to a nunnery, he also makes it clear there will be no marriage for the…

    • 138 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Character Ophelia In Shakespeare's Hamlet
    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Character Ophelia In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    Ophelia, a fictional character in Hamlet, is the daughter of Polonius and young lover to the main character. Her father, the right hand of the king, originally requests she keep her distance from Hamlet. Quite soon, the company of Hamlet believes he has gone mad. Polonius, of course, asks his obedient daughter to spy on her lover. Mary Salter stated, “She certainly has a great deal of respect for her father and unquestioningly obeys his instructions…” Ophelia and Hamlet spend an extravagant amount of time together. In the time of Shakespeare, this was nearly unacceptable. One could understandably be under the impression they…

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Ophelias Madness
    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ophelias Madness

    In Act 2 Scene 2, Hamlet broke the news to Polonius that Ophelia was pregnant. He used words like conception, breed and pregnant. In Act 3 Hamlet confronted Ophelia and said,…

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Destruction Of Ophelia In William Shakespeare's Hamlet
    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Destruction Of Ophelia In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    Due to Ophelia’s fickle behavior regarding Hamlet, he is unsure of her affection and does not deem her trustworthy. Ophelia is not yet a married woman, meaning she is not admitted to disobey her father, and not able to control her own choices. When her father demands “I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so sander and moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet.” (I, III, 136-140) Ophelia must heed her father’s commands. When Ophelia is requested to converse with Hamlet by Polonius and Claudius, she must endure. She attempts to return letters that Hamlet wrote for her, this seeming to have a powerful effect on him. Although he has suspicions that their conversation is being eavesdropped on, Hamlet does not restrain himself with his reaction towards Ophelia. Hamlet seems to contradict himself when proclaiming her “Get thee to a nunnery, go.” (III, I, 138). Nunnery, also meaning brothel, shows Hamlet’s indecisive feelings for Ophelia, by using a word that paints her as holy and sinful. As he continues to insult Ophelia, it becomes clear that Hamlet presumes all women to be deceitful, describing that “God has given you one face and you make yourselves another.” (III, I, 145). Although it is not certain whether or not Hamlet truly loves Ophelia, it can be deducted that due to his mother’s actions he cannot be definite in his…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Prince Hamlet Flawed Hero Research Paper
    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Prince Hamlet Flawed Hero Research Paper

    Hamlet and Ophelia loved each other early on in the play, but Ophelia is told by her father to break all contact with him. Hamlet goes to Ophelia on the brink of a breakdown, partly caused by his mother's infidelities. When he turns to his lover for support, his mother's lesson are reinforced and through her actions, Ophelia confirms in Hamlet's mind that women can not be trusted even though Ophelia was only following her father’s orders. Now distrusting Ophelia, they meet again when Prince Hamlet knows Polonius is spying on their conversation. With Ophelia failing to admit her purpose of the conversation, he now calls Ophelia a liar. At that point, he thought all women were adulterous and could not be trusted, like his mother. He then says “Get thee to a nunnery, farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell” (Shakespeare, Act 3.1.124-127). Hamlet is being very cruel, referring to her as a prostitute. But not only is he insulting Ophelia, but women in general because now, all women are the same to…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet And Ophelia Analysis
    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Hamlet And Ophelia Analysis

    “When it came to property, a woman gave up all of her rights to own land and such things to her husband. He became not only the owner of her physical possessions, but of her as well.” (“Rights of Women” 1). In the play, Ophelia has been under the control of male characters by being used for her possessions, status and lust. "Come, go with me: I will go seek the king./ This is the very ecstasy of love,/ Whose violent property fordoes itself/ And leads the will to desperate undertakings/ As oft as any passion under heaven/ That does afflict our natures.” (2.1.101-106) as mentioned by Polonius. Here it is evident that Polonius uses his daughter for his own desires. When Ophelia talks about Hamlet's unusual behaviour towards her, Polonius immediately depicts this to his advantage. He speculates his daughter's description as madness from love which is in his advantage because it can mean that Ophelia will marry into royalty which would bring him up in status. Polonius's intentions are seen through his desperate actions. Secondly, when Ophelia sings a song "Before you tumbled me,/ You promised me to wed.", he answers: "So would I ha' done, by yonder sun,/ And thou hadst not come to my bed." (4.5.62-66). Ophelia's song indicates the mistake she made of losing her virginity to Hamlet. With the loss of her father, virginity and…

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Parallel Guidin Ophelia In Shakespeare's Hamlet
    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Parallel Guidin Ophelia In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    Ophelia is introduced to the audience as naïve young girl hopelessly submerged in affection for her beloved Hamlet, the son of the former king. She is the daughter of the current king’s most trust advisor, Polonius. Ophelia’s first plank of madness is laid with the departure of her brother for France. This early “loss” of a loved one is similar in many ways that Hamlet’s father is also gone. However both Laertes and Hamlet Sr. inevitably return.…

    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Laertes and Hamlet
    • 816 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Laertes and Hamlet

    Hamlet and Laertes share a different, but deep, love and concern for Ophelia. Before his departure for France, Laertes provides lengthy advice to Ophelia pertaining to her relationship with Hamlet. Laertes voices his concern of Hamlet's true intentions towards Ophelia and advises her to be wary of Hamlet's love. Laertes impresses upon Ophelia that Hamlet is a prince who, most likely, will have an arranged marriage. Hamlet's strong love for Ophelia withers after she rejects his affinity. Hamlet's extensive love for Ophelia resulted in grave suffering for Hamlet once his affection was rejected. Hamlet's appearance decays due to the rejection of his love for Ophelia: "Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other" (II, i, 82). The loss of Ophelia's love for Hamlet causes Polonius to believe it has caused Hamlet to revert…

    • 816 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ophelia Weakness Reveals Hamlet's Stren
    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ophelia Weakness Reveals Hamlet's Stren

    Her weak mindedness and cowardice eventually leads to her suicide; however, the cause of her of emotional weakness is due to forces beyond her control. Ophelia’s subjection to the loss of two loved ones at the same time allocates an overwhelming feeling of devastation that she is incapable of coping with due to her lack of mental strength. Claudius recognizes the intensity and overpowering nature of her suffering as he states that “when sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in batallions,” (IV, iv, 77). Ophelia’s immense losses include the Polonius’ murder, in addition to the Hamlet rejecting her feelings. The death of Polonius not only means the death of her dad additionally the one whom she derives all of her guidance from. The lack of support for Ophelia during this vulnerable period of her life further weakens her emotional stability; furthermore, Hamlet’s unusual conduct leaves Ophelia feeling more isolated and disliked. Hamlet illuminates his unorthodox demeanor to her by denying her mementos and by blatantly denies having ever loved her as states, “I loved you not” (III, i, 118). Denying the remembrances, he alludes to the…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet Being Human Analysis
    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Hamlet Being Human Analysis

    Hamlet, himself, exhibits faults in his personality, often acting volatile and reckless in situations beyond his control. In Act 1, Scene 3, Ophelia describes Hamlet as an admirer who had ‘made many tenders of his affection’ to her but later on, in Act 3, Scene 1, when they confront each other about their feelings, Hamlet angrily shouts ‘Get thee to a nunnery’, insulting her and not realising the possible consequences of his actions. Ophelia isn’t without flaws, herself, as shown by her tendency to be influenced by the men around her. Whilst it was common for the women during Shakespeare’s time to be obedient to their men, Ophelia’s submissiveness eventually drives her to insanity and leads to her suicide. Furthermore, Ophelia’s father, Polonius, is also a fatally flawed character, with his peripeteia being his nosiness and propensity to pry, which then leads to his death. Shakespeare uses the weaknesses of each character to emphasise that human beings are flawed to warn his audience that if these flaws are not recognised, they may, and often will, bring…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Ophelia In Hamlet
    • 1399 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Ophelia In Hamlet

    Although Hamlet continued to pursue her as a lover, he eventually discovered that her loyalties did not lie with him, as she became a spy for Claudius and Polonius. It is unclear as to whether or not Hamlet is aware that Ophelia is being used by the men, but he is reassured of her loyalty to them when he asks, “Where’s your father?” and Ophelia replies, “At home, my lord” (3.1, 130-131). Ophelia’s social position as a woman in society is virtually nonexistent as the presences of manipulative men merely use her obedience as a means of improving their social positions, with little regard for hers. In accordance with the time period, Ophelia would have followed codes of conduct “influenced by religious literature, the attitude taken by most writers of deportment manuals reflect the theologians’ traditional dislike and distrust of women” (Kincaid 103). While there is no indication that Ophelia has broken any codes, Hamlet takes out his frustration with his mother on her, and chastises her for shortcomings as a woman when he says, “Let me think on’t. Frailty thy name is woman!” (1.2, 146). Regardless of Ophelia’s proper social behavior, Hamlet reveals that she cannot escape her fate as a woman. Hamlet tells her, “If thou dost marry, I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery” (3.1, 135-37). Even if Ophelia follows every social norm and remains chaste, she will always be restricted by society because of the men that define…

    • 1399 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet's Insanity
    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hamlet's Insanity

    He has been holding onto the secret about his uncle for a long period of time and is struggling with knowing how to avenge his father’s death. The difficulties in Hamlet’s life continue to add up and cause him to become more on edge. Polonius, the King’s helper and Ophelia’s father, tries to convince the King and Queen that Hamlet is acting crazy simply because he is in love with Ophelia. A plan is then created where Ophelia stands and waits for Hamlet while Polonius, Claudius and Gertrude hide and observe Hamlet’s actions. Once Hamlet approaches Ophelia, he realizes that he has been set up and is furious. Although Hamlet is clearly irate because he is being spied on, it is implied that part of Hamlet’s frustration is due to the betrayal and dishonesty from Ophelia, the one he loves. Hamlet has little trust in anyone at this point, and now he cannot trust the one who holds his heart. Hamlet reproaches Ophelia, “Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too. Farewell” (III, 1, 54). This quote is proof that Hamlet is very upset with Ophelia and no longer wants to be associated with her because he does not trust her. It is likely that Hamlet feels alone because he is facing many problems on his own and cannot trust the people who are important to…

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics