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How Did Hamlet Love Ophelia

Decent Essays

Key Points of Analysis

• While Hamlet is searching for evidence that proves Claudius murdered his father, Claudius is trying to discover the cause of his madness
• Hamlet wishes to be dead, but fears the consequences he would have to face in the afterlife
• After Hamlet’s confrontation with Ophelia, one can infer that his hatred for women had made him self-destructively crazy as he hates that women hide behind makeup, making their beauty appear dishonest
• It is very clear that Claudius believes that Hamlet neither loves Ophelia nor is he mad, but is plotting against him. He states that his speech does not seem like a speech of insanity.
Polonius cares more about proving his theory than comforting Ophelia as he decides to spy on Hamlet’s conversation with Gertrude to witness if his love actually emerges from loving Ophelia.
• Claudius feels that by sending Hamlet to England, the change of scenery may help him get over his madness. Although Polonius feels that this is the best option, he still believes that the cause of Hamlet’s craziness is indeed his love for Ophelia.

Important Quotes

To be, or not to be, —that is the question:—
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of …show more content…

Hamlet laments the thought of suicide but prevents himself from doing so because it is forbidden in his religion and he does not want to suffer in his afterlife. Furthermore, Hamlet feels that he is not ready to be responsible for another human’s death as he fears the consequences, but he feels motivated when he remembers his duty: To avenge his father’s death. He is in an unusual position of wishing for death and fearing it intensely and this aspect makes the play more

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