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!

Sunday, 26 October 2014

In Love or Not in Love? - The Dynamics of Hamlet and Ophelia

In the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, there is an interesting couple, with a somewhat confusing dynamic. At times is can be questionable whether the love between the main character, Hamlet and his 'lady' Ophelia is real, but examining certain points in the play makes it apparent that this love is real and thriving.
One point we begin to question Hamlet's love for Ophelia, and this is during the nunnery scene. Hamlet states: "Get thee to a nunnery"(III.i.121). At first glance the reader can interpret this as Hamlet telling her to leave and be shameful, but after looking into it one can see that Hamlet is trying to protect Ophelia, because he loves her. Hamlet is telling Ophelia to go away, not because he loves her, but to make sure that she doesn't get affected in any way by the potential repercussions of Hamlet's plan to kill Claudius. Hamlet is looking out for Ophelia's best interest, not sending her away because he does not want her around. Another time that we see that Hamlet and Ophelia's love is true is closer to the beginning of the same act, when Hamlet states “Soft you now, the fair Ophelia! Nymph in thy orisons be all my sins remember'd” (III.i.88-90). Hamlet is apologising to Ophelia in advance for anything that might happen to her or around her. This shows that their love is true because Hamlet would not apologise to anyone that he didn't love the same way as he loves Ophelia. For example, Hamlet loves his mother, but he did not apologise to her the way he apologises to Ophelia because he loves Ophelia that much more than his mother. Finally, we see that Hamlet and Ophelia truly love each other when Ophelia speaks to her father, Polonuis, about her and Hamlet's relationship. Ophelia states:"He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders/Of his affection to me." (I.iii.99-100) she is telling her father that he truly shows affection towards her and that she enjoys his affection.
After examining the first four acts of the play and actually reading into what is being said by the characters, we can truly see that the love between Hamlet and Ophelia is real and they truly want to be together.

RESPONSE TO DAMON'S BLOG POST
I agree with Damon's post completely. I agree that Hamlet is trying to get Ophelia to a "safe haven" (the nunnery) and I agree that Hamlet shows her a lot of affection based upon what Ophelia was saying to her father. At first glance I didn't think of it in a way that Hamlet was trying to keep Hamlet safe, but after re-examining the context and ways it was stated, I agree with that statement.
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