Essay On The Relationship Between Hamlet And Ophelia

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In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is complex, leaving many to wonder if Hamlet did indeed love her. Throughout the play, as Hamlet sets out to avenge the murder of his father, his character’s love for Ophelia is questioned; sometimes casting doubt to Hamlet’s sincerity of love for Ophelia. However, the words and actions of both Hamlet and Ophelia are evidence and proof that his love for her is genuine. At the beginning of the play, Ophelia herself believes that Hamlet loves her. First of all, Laertes and Polonius had both heard about Hamlet professing his love for Ophelia. Being the typical protective brother and father, they cautioned Ophelia and told her to be very wary of …show more content…

Ophelia’s father, Polonius, reads this love poem written by Hamlet to Ophelia: Doubt thou the stars are fire; doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love. O dear Ophelia, … but that I love thee best, oh, best, believe it, Adieu. Thine evermore most dear lady, …Hamlet! (Shakespeare, Act II, scene ii, lines 116-124). Indeed, not only does Hamlet profess his love, but also he begs Ophelia to not doubt him and always believe in him. Without doubt, this is quite important, since Hamlet’s sanity is constantly in question. In fact, he is assuring her that whatever happens, she should believe in his love for her. As time goes on, Polonius and Claudius increasingly suspect Hamlet of being crazy, and they devise a scheme to prove this using Ophelia and the “remembrances”(Shakespeare, Act III, scene i, line 95) and love letters given to her by Hamlet. Likewise, these the fact that he gave these keepsakes are more proof of Hamlet’s love for Ophelia. Since Hamlet is aware that Polonius and Claudius are eavesdropping on he and Ophelia, he purposely insults her and denies that he gave her these gifts. Despite this rejection, Hamlet still loves Ophelia, as he forewarned her to never doubt his love for …show more content…

This final act of the play surely sums up the love that Hamlet had for Ophelia. Dramatically, Hamlet jumps into the grave of Ophelia. Distraught with grief for her, Hamlet confronts her brother, Laertes, telling him that he loved her even more than a brother loves a sister. Hamlet cries out to Laertes “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum” (Shakespeare, Act IV, scene I, lines 285-287). Although it was too late for Ophelia to hear Hamlet’s true feelings expressed once again, this does show that Hamlet’s love was not madness, but genuine affection. Pouring out his heartfelt emotions, Hamlet says he loved her so much he would do anything for

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