Hamlet and Ophelia in Love

In my opinion, Hamlet and Ophelia do love one another. Although there seems to be a lot of evidence saying that Hamlet never loved Ophelia and was just using her, I feel that there is even more evidence invalidating those notions. One instance that reveals Hamlet’s true love for Ophelia is when Polonius is reading Hamlet’s letter to Ophelia to the King and Queen. It reads, “never doubt I love” (II.ii.118). In this letter Hamlet literally states that he loves Ophelia, it can’t get much clearer than that. He is saying that even though not everything around her is true, she can always believe that his love for her is real. Hamlet wrote this letter to Ophelia before he even started to play his tricks on everybody. To me, this seems like the moment in the play where Hamlet truly divulges his innermost feelings. This letter is given to Ophelia in confidence, even though she does end up giving it up to her father. This letter is a private love letter, so, Hamlet really has no reason to lie in it. Another instance is when Hamlet says to Ophelia, “I did love you” (III.i.115). Hamlet says that he loved her, but then says that he never loved her. Of course this is when Hamlet has started with his games and it is completely plausible that he is just trying to cause confusion by saying this. This could be because Hamlet suspects that people are watching them, after all, it wouldn't be very difficult to figure that out and Hamlet is an intellect. Ophelia’s love for Hamlet is revealed in the very same conversation when she says, “And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,

That sucked the honey of his music vows,Now see that noble and most sovereign reason Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;That unmatched form and feature of blown youth

Blasted with ecstasy. Oh, woe is me” (III.i.157-163). Hamlet has said he doesn't love her and she is heartbroken. Why would she be so upset about a man that she doesn't even love rejecting her? Ophelia must love Hamlet, she states that she is miserable when she hears him speak. She’s not only upset for herself, but she’s concerned for Hamlet. Another example is when Hamlet and Ophelia speak again during the mousetrap play. Even though Hamlet has clearly insulted her in the previous scenes,him and Ophelia spend the whole time flirting with one another. Hamlet makes dirty joke after dirty joke and Ophelia just giggles like a schoolgirl. Ophelia was so easily able to forgive Hamlet after the cruel things he said to her, she flirts with him saying, “You are naught, you are naught” (III.ii.143). Ophelia must truly love Hamlet in order to be referring to him as naughty so soon after he told her that he never loved her. Even through  difficult situations Hamlet and Ophelia really do seem to love each other.

Comment - I liked Renée’s last point where she said that Hamlet wanted Ophelia to go to a nunnery for protection. I’d never thought of it like that, but it makes sense. Since everything he’s saying has so many different meanings it’s hard to understand what he truly means when he says certain things. I liked the idea that maybe he wasn't being completely mean and he genuinely wanted to protect her from something.