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

Loves her, Lovers her not?

In my opinion, Hamlet really does love Ophelia. I have read many lines in the play that lead me to believe Hamlet and Ophelia are destined to be together. When Hamlet warns her to leave he acts in a very rude manner. All part of Hamlet’s plan to get Ophelia out of harms way and her virginity in safe keeping. All while telling her to leave he mentions that he did once love her.  “I did love you” (III.i.125). But not even four lines later he says he did not love her. I think he truly meant to say he did love her but had to say something else because of the fact that he was being watched. He was told to meet the king in the foyer only to find Ophelia ... coincidence? I think not.  Hamlet mentions Ophelia's father shortly after then follows with “Let the doors be shut upon him that he may play the fool nowhere but in ‘s own house” (III.i.143-44). Implying he knows Polonius is watching and he should go be a fool elsewhere. Hamlet is way too smart to be fooled this easily, he makes it seem like he does not love Ophelia to throw everybody else off. A second  reason as to why I find Hamlets love for Ophelia genuine is because he warms her to go to a nunnery, perhaps to shield her from potential danger but maybe it’s because she is bearing his future child. During Hamlets back and forth with Ophelia he mentions giving birth to a sin, ‘’Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?’’ Going to a nunnery is her safe haven, he wants to ensure her safety because he loves her and is worried about her well-being. Also keeping her out of harms way while he kills Claudius. The third reason that makes me believe in their love is the fact that Hamlet asks for her forgiveness. He know he must treat her bad in order to re-direct suspicion of their love elsewhere, he cares of what she thinks and wants to reassure she will forgive him. “Soft you now, the fair Ophelia! Nymph in thy orisons be all my sins remember'd” (III.i.88-90). Hamlet loves her enough to feel the need to apologize before hand, if he was not in love he would not have said a thing to her. My final reasoning as to why I agree with their love is because when Polonius asks Ophelia what is going on between Ophelia and Hamlet ‘’What is between you? Give me up the truth.’’ (III.4.99). Ophelia replies with ‘’He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders of his affection to me.’’ This means that Hamlet has given her plenty of affection. Although Polonius thinks it’s an excuse to get into Ophelia’s pants it is not, he was expressing his true feelings. It was just Hamlet alone with Ophelia when he was giving her affection, which leads me to believe his actions to be true.

No comments:

Post a Comment