The Bumps Along the Way As William Shakespeare once said, “the course of true love never did run smooth” (“87 Shakespeare”). This is true for the love of Ophelia and Hamlet in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. In the play, Hamlet plays the role of a wealthy son trying to avenge his dead father who was murdered by his uncle and now stepfather. Ophelia, on the other hand, plays the role of a modern day girl who is friends with the royal family. In the play, Hamlet and Ophelia pose confusing thoughts to the audience about if they have a relationship, and based on Hamlet’s actions, if he truly does love her. However, when looking at the text, it shows that Hamlet truly does love Ophelia, but certain circumstances make it hard for him to continue showing his love for her until it is too late. …show more content…
She tells her father in Act I, Scene III, “he hath my lord, of late made many tenders of his affection to me” (Shakespeare 45). She also says, “My lord he hath importuned me with love, in honorable fashion. . . and hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, with almost all the holy vows of heaven” (Shakespeare 47). The audience hears about how Hamlet does confess his love towards her in a letter that was written to Ophelia. It states, “O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers. I have not art to reckon my groans, but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu” (Shakespeare
Later in the text, Hamlet and Ophelia have a conversation in which they express their feelings to one another. During the conversation Hamlets say “I did love you”. This statement can automatically lead the reader to believe that hamlets affection towards her has completely died. This can be a bit confusing considering the poem he wrote for her in the previous Act. Although it may seem like a cold and heartless act, Hamlet had much reason in denying his love for her. He was aware that her father was listening in. In the same token he also goes to say
Throughout the play, Hamlet and Ophelia have a very strong love connection. They loved each other and wanted to eventually get married. Hamlet and Ophelia hit some bumps in the road in their relationship but they always secretly wanted to be together. In Act 1, Scene 3, It was hard for Ophelia to comprehend when Polonius told her that he thought Hamlet's love for her wasn’t real, but she didn’t know what to believe. When Hamlet could no longer see Ophelia he began to get mad a frustrated, to add on also that he was going crazy over his own father's death.
Ophelia describes Hamlet as 'the courtier's soldier, scholar's eye, tongue and sword, Th'expectancy and rose of fair state, the glass of fashion and the mould of form, Th'observed of all observers (Act 3 Scene 1) He is the ideal man. But, after his madness and the death of her father she sees him as 'a noble mind o'er thrown!' (Act 3 Scene 1). Ophelia suffers from Hamlet's disillusionment; his attitude to her in Act 3 Scene 1 is hard to explain. His faith in women was shattered by his mother's marriage and it is also possible that Hamlet knows that Ophelia has been ordered to seek him out- yet how strong could their love have been as there is little excuse for the
The existence of a significant degree of religious influence in Europe provided grounds for the unification of many Europeans, which later contributed to the European empires’ attempt to promote and practice imperialism.
For the myth which has been built round Hamlet is never more perverse than when it pretends that Ophelia went mad for love and killed herself. No line in the play suggests that she felt either passion or affection for Hamlet. She never mentions him in the mad scene, and Horatio says of
As the story grows deeper, Hamlet shows us that he really did love Ophelia when Hamlet tells Ophelia that “I did love you once” (3.1.131). Hamlet only confesses that he did indeed loved Ophelia, but only when it goes on to says that Hamlet never loved her (Habib, 23). On the
Of all the questions asked about Hamlet one that doesn't pop up often is if Hamlet truly loved Ophelia. Some may say that he never did or he did but then fell out of love with her others may say he does love her in life and death. It’s all about how you intake the reading and analyze it. For example when Hamlet is yelling at Ophelia it seems like he was trying to get her to stay away from him because he no longer cares but it could also have been his way of trying to protect Ophelia because he had an idea of what was to come. The popular idea is that he did love her but sometimes the popular option isn't the right one there are many times where it doesn't seem like Hamlet loves her in the whole story.
Another case of Hamlet's adoration for Ophelia is the letter he sends her. One line Hamlet keeps in touch with her is “never doubt I love” (Act 2, Scene 2). This letter is the clearest evidence of Hamlet's adoration for Ophelia. This point of the play, Hamlet can express his actual and legit feeling since he realizes that Ophelia will be the main beneficiary of this letter. He discloses to her that among everything else around her that may not be valid, his affection for
It also highlights the tragedy that follows Hamlet’s character. Ophelia reveals early on that Hamlet loves her when she tells Polonius “ My lord, he hath importuned me with love in honorable fashion…And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, with almost all the holy vows of heaven.(I.iii.110-114)”. Her words show that he cares for her deeply and pursued her love honorably and seriously. Hamlet delivers the greatest
Did Hamlet truly love Ophelia? In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, did not truly love Ophelia. I believe if you truly love someone you wouldn’t mistreat them in any type of way. Even if times get tough for you. People use and abused the word “ Love” for the expression of different types of feelings.
In Act III scene i, Polonius and the King hide behind Ophelia's curtains and eavesdrop on the conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia. Hamlet goes on to scold Ophelia and accuse her of not being chaste "Ha, ha! Are you honest?" ... "Are you fair?" ... "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be / a breeder of sinners?" Hamlet goes on to say "...This was sometime a paradox, but now / the time gives it proof. I did love you once." Ophelia replies with "Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so." Her heart must have torn in two when Hamlet came back with "You should not have believed me, for virtue / cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish / of it. I loved you not." Hamlet admits that he was deceiving her the whole time. This was likely a major factor in Ophelia's descent into madness and eventually, death. Again, Ophelia is the victim.
Hamlet confirmed that he did love Ophelia when he told her to go to a nunnery. Although it is a harsh statement, he tried to throw everyone else off so he had to make it seem like he never loved her. Throughout his letter he mentioned that everything else around her may not be true but his love is real. Hamlet explained that Ophelia was too naive and if Polonius read the letters, he had to act mad to protect her. Near the end of the session, Hamlet described the scene in the graveyard and how he still proved his love for Ophelia. His behaviour changed from extremely upset to more relaxed and reasoned.
Ophelia later relays this meeting to her father, telling him that Hamlet was not properly dressed, "and with a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell to speak of horrors-he comes before me." (2.1.82-84). This scene is directly after Hamlet learns of his father's murder. It seems that Hamlet is looking to Ophelia for help, his feelings were crushed and he needed consolation. I extract the estimation that prince Hamlet adores Ophelia, and that she is one the few loved ones he has left to turn to. I am sure he loves his family, but his father is dead, his mother is unconcerned with his father's death and his uncle is the murderer of his father.
One piece of evidence showing that Hamlet really did love Ophelia is when he tells her, “I did love you” (Act 3 scene 1 line 126). Hamlet confesses that he truly loved her, but then goes back on his word and says he never loved. I think this could be the fact that Hamlet knows people are
“The observed 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; o woe is me, to have seen what I have seen, see what I see!” (2671-2672). The general love and relationship that was administered between Prince Hamlet and Ophelia were not only complicated but problematic. Throughout the play, the reader gains a deeper insight into their overall involvement and what lead to the total turmoil of their love. Arguably, it might be perceived by the reader if Prince Hamlet even loved Ophelia or if she was only a part of his mind games. Furthermore, the heightened debate of their relationship can be strengthened either way by numerous opinions, but I believe far in Prince Hamlet’s twisted mind he cherished and loved Ophelia.