Ophelia : Ay, my lord. Hamlet : Do you think I meant country matters? Ophelia : I think nothing, my lord. Hamlet : That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs. But Hamlet is not expressing his desire for Ophelia; he is not lost in the fog of his own madness. Although he does not, this time, lash out at her with overt cruelty, he is nevertheless once again heartlessly mistreating her with demeaning and disrespectful behavior.
And Hamlet obviously is using Ophelia to further his facade of insanity -- his actions are clearly for the benefit of old Polonius, who already believes that Hamlet has gone mad for want of Ophelia's love. Hamlet must be held accountable for his treatment of Ophelia. He is not incoherent or paranoid; his ferocity cannot be blamed on insanity. In his destruction of his beloved creature Hamlet is lucid and brilliant, fueled by rage and thoughts of Gertrude's betrayal. Ophelia is the only outlet for the hostility that he must keep secret from the King.
The belief that Hamlet still genuinely loves Ophelia, and that his deep sensitivity and hunger for justice compel him to behave the way he does, allows us to conclude that Hamlet is at once so heartless and yet so virtuous. The actual recognition of his love for Ophelia can only come when Hamlet realizes that she is dead, and free from her tainted womanly trappings: I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers Could not, with all their quantity of love, Make up my sum.
Even when he confronts his mother and is so relentless that the Ghost must intercede on her behalf, we know that Hamlet longs to show her affection; to comfort her and to be comforted by her.
But love, pleasure, and tenderness all have disappeared behind Hamlet's encompassing wall of depression and overwhelming responsibility. The royal couple's actions have destroyed his faith in humanity, and he contemplates suicide. He declares "I do not set my life at a pin's fee" I. To die; to sleep, No more, and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to; 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; III. He also decides to have Ophelia buried with ceremony, rather than as a suicide.
His love for Gertrude also seems sincere. Polonius is the main advisor to the king, also known as the Lord Chamberlain. Pompous and arrogant, Polonius is also the overbearing father of Ophelia and Laertes. She is obedient, agreeing not to see Hamlet anymore at her father's suggestion and spying on Hamlet when asked by Claudius.
She believes that Hamlet loves her, despite his inconsistent courtship, and is devastated during a conversation in which he seems not to love her at all. When Hamlet kills her father, Ophelia goes mad and drowns in the river. Whether this is a suicide is left ambiguous. Gertrude is rather weak and unable to match wits in an argument, but her love for her son remains strong.
She also enjoys the physical aspects of her marriage to Claudius—a point that disturbs Hamlet. After the sword fight between Hamlet and Laertes, Gertrude drinks the poisoned goblet meant for Hamlet and dies. He is cautious, scholarly, and a good man, known for giving sound advice. As Hamlet lies dying at the end of the play, Horatio considers suicide, but Hamlet convinces him to live on to tell the story.
Where Hamlet is contemplative and frozen by emotions, Laertes is reactive and quick to action. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes will stop at nothing for revenge. Fortinbras is the prince of neighboring Norway. In love with Hamlet, she is obedient to her father and listens to her brother, though she is spirited enough to accuse him of potential hypocrisy. The Ghost of Old Hamlet haunts the castle of Elsinore. Having been murdered by his brother, he wanders the night, waiting for a chance to speak with his son.
Laertes's Followers convince the mob to let Ophelia through and enter the room where Claudius and Gertrude are confronting Laertes. The First Sailor is one of the pirate crew that captures Hamlet. He brings letters from the prince to Horatio, the King, and the Queen. The Player Queen is an adolescent boy who has recently had a growth spurt, but whose voice has not yet broken. The Player Lucianus plays the murderer in the play.
He overdoes his melodramatic evil grimaces on his entrance. Discuss Discussion Forum Blog Separator. Did Hamlet and Ophelia have sex? Who is Fortinbras? Was Hamlet really in love with Ophelia?
Why does Hamlet encourage the actor to recite the speech about Pyrrhus and Priam? Does Hamlet consider suicide? Why is Hamlet so cruel to Ophelia? Why does Ophelia go mad? Does Ophelia actually kill herself? What is the significance of the gravediggers?
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