[ Creative Title Here ]

       

         In William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" we are introduced to a young couple composed of Hamlet and Ophelia. To some they appear to be madly in love, to others Hamlet is just using her for.... stuff. In my opinion Hamlet and Ophelia are involve but in a strange way. If I were to put it in too a smaller metaphor Hamlet and Ophelia are like that annoying grade nine couple you see in the hallway where it's obvious that he's more in love with her than she is to him. The interesting part to me about this is the fact that Hamlet is more into Ophelia than she is to him in the early acts of the play but as the play goes on you can see a shift in the relationship where Ophelia becomes just as madly in love with Hamlet as he was to her. Now allow me to explain what I really mean by my crazy rambling.

        The first point at which the thought of "maybe she's not as into him as he is to her" entered my head is in the scene where the mouse trap play is taking place. The reason this line of thinking came into my head is because it is very easy to see that he wants to do....stuff.... to her  as proven by this quote "It would cost you a groaning to take off mine edge" (III, ii, 234). This quote shows Hamlet is very sexually attracted to Ophelia because this line is just one part of a rather large conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia in which he shamelessly talks dirty to her "lady shall I lie in your lap?" (III. ii. 102) this proves that he feels a desire for intimacy with Ophelia but she does not as evidenced by her response "No, my lord." (III. ii. 103). To expand on this is very difficult given that fact that this is a pretty cut and dry situation, Hamlet is attracted to Ophelia and she is not in the same mind set at this point in the play. Also if you need proof that Hamlet is not just sexually attracted to Ophelia but emotionally invested in her read Genna's post because on quote she references says “never doubt I love” (II.ii.118), this is the most blatantly obvious statement of Hamlets love for Ophelia in the play and further proves my point.

        The interesting part to me is that as the play goes on we see Ophelia become crazy. Although her ever increasing levels of craziness can be attributed to a number of things like the murder of her father as evidenced by the "songs" she begins to sing in the later parts of the play 

"He is dead and gone,lady,

 He is dead and gone;

 At his head a grass-green turf,

 At his heels a stone."(IV. v. 29-32)

In this song it is apparent that she is not coping with the death of her father well at all and this could be part of the reason that she has gone coo coo for coco puffs and this will (SPOILER) lead to her death eventually. But in my opinion the main part she has snapped is because Hamlet is gone and she questions if he even ever did love her in another song.

"How should I your true love know

From another one?

By his cockle hat and staff,

And his sandle shoon."(IV. v. 23-26)

This song shows that Ophelia is doesn't think Hamlet truly ever loved her and she is wondering about the fact that he may have just been using her for sex as evidenced by another song.

"To-morrow is Saint Valentine’s Day,

All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

Then up he rose, and donn’ed his clothes,

and dupp’d the chamber-door;

let in the maid, that out a maid

never departed more."(IV. v. 48-54)

This is the song that shows where Ophelia is truly wondering if she was more than just a sexual outlet for Hamlet and at the same time shows that she really is/was in love with Hamlet and now that he is gone she is not dealing with it well.

        In conclusion I feel that through the play we as readers get to see an evolving relationship that begins with one loving the other more and through the play they do both become equally smitten with one an other and I feel that if you know they both hadn't died they would have made the worlds best power couple.

Comment: In response to Austin I agree with your point that he does love and care for her through the play. Also I think you point about trying to woo Ophelia with intelligence during the play is very creative because I did not even think to interpret it like that but rather as Hamlet just further advancing his attempts to prove the guilt of Claudius but after reading your post my view on that scene has shifted dramatically.

Beaton: I can't figure out the color thing please don't take off marks :)