One of the more interesting questions in Hamlet is whether or not Hamlet and Ophelia are actually in love with one another. There's evidence to support either view, but if you look carefully at the interactions between the characters, the "truth" becomes apparent. Using evidence from the text in what the various characters say and do, defend one side or the other of this argument.

To be most successful in this assignment, you must:

i) Dig into the text and analyse the issues, while resisting the temptation to retell the story.

ii) Include quotations and citations in your blog entry to back up your opinions.

iii) Finally, you must take what your classmates have posted into consideration, and to comment on their blog entries within the body of your own blog entry. **Do NOT comment in the comment section below your colleague's blog entry -- it makes them too difficult to track for evaluation.


** Caveat: Relevant allusions to other, outside, texts or sources will get you gravy marks. Mmm! Breaton loves wonderous allusions!

Saturday, 25 October 2014

I Love You Babe, I Swear -Hamlet 1599



A Contextual Analysis Pertaining to the Verity of a Lover's Relationship; The Hamlet Clause 
   
      When it comes to the relationship between the characters Hamlet and Ophelia in the eponymous play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, it is evident that the pair of lovers did in fact love each other. However it is not completely obvious and requires further analysis to fully understand. There are many instances that could be used to argue that Hamlet loves Ophelia, such as her recounting of Hamlet's mad entrance into her chambers in Act II, scene i lines 77-84. However it isn't blatantly clear whether or not this is merely a ploy by Hamlet to convey his feigned madness. Instead, there are very specific instances within the play that cannot be taken in any other context, such as Hamlet's constant defense for Ophelia whether it be in conversation with Polonius or when he subtly tells her repeatedly to, "Get thee to a nunnery... I am myself indifferent honest" (III. i.121-122). This passage is his warning to Ophelia to protect herself against future events, and that she should not believe his outrage as he believes they're being eavesdropped upon. He would only go to these lengths to warn her out of an attachment for her, something that would not be present unless he did indeed love her. As well, when he is alone he says within a soliloquy, "The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remember'd." (III.i.89-90). This wish for Ophelia to forgive him in her prayers would be irrelevant had he not loved her, but this need for forgiveness can only be found within his love for her. He evidently feels that his upcoming attack against Ophelia is a betrayal to their relationship, and wants to be forgiven in the hopes to remain on good terms with his love. When it comes to Ophelia, it is not evident whether or not she was keen to Hamlet's ploy; it is however evident that even after her rejection from Hamlet in act III, scene i, she continues to flirt with him right in front of her father and the King and Queen during the mousetrap play. Only true lovers can put the past behind them and continue with their true feelings, which is exactly what she is doing by acting playful with Hamlet. As well within the nunnery scene, Ophelia feels truly hurt when Hamlet denies his love letters, when she tells him, "My honour'd lord, you know right well you did, and with them words of so sweet breath compos'd as made the things more rich." (III.i.97-102). Ophelia speaks in poetic form when she describes the letters, meaning she truly took them to heart as a token of Hamlet's love. If she did not love him, this denial of the letters would not phase her. As well, every instance where she is being spoken to about Hamlet, she always defends him and never bashes him. After being denied within the nunnery scene, one would assume she would be bitter, but this isn't the case, even when she is in hysterics. Much is revealed withing her hysterical ravings, as she sings, "By Gis and by Saint Charity, Alack and fie for shame, young men will do't if they come to't- by cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, 'before you tumbled me, you promised me to wed." (IV.v.58-63). If this is to be taken in the first person, then surely Ophelia is speaking about Hamlet, because  no other previous love interest has been mentioned whatsoever of hers. This would imply that she had a coital relationship with Hamlet, something she would only do if she truly loved him as unmarried sex was a religious offense in her era. In summation, both Hamlet and Ophelia go to extraordinary lengths to hold their love together in a scenario where everyone around them is out to tear it apart. 'Tis truly a tale of two lovers.

Comment:

With Ricardo's argument, I agree with his point pertaining to the potential to use Ophelia as a hostage against Hamlet and how Hamlet's dismissal of their relationship is to avoid this. This is true with the argument that they are in fact lovers, because Hamlet would be cutting all ties that could be used against him in a conflict. A love like Ophelia would be the perfect stratagem against Hamlet, and the only reason that he dismissed the relationship was to avoid hurting her in collateral damage, and to protect himself as well, while still maintaining his love for her in secret.
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