Polonius And Ophelia's Relationship Analysis

Shakespeare is a master of words, in that he is able to make a reader really think about what he is trying to say; both as a whole (i.e. the entire play) and in the individual poetic dynamics of the play (i.e. diction). He does so brilliantly in one of his most famous plays, Hamlet. The play itself is filled with complex internal dynamics, while at the same time the characters of Hamlet have several complex internal dynamics themselves as well. Throughout the play we are constantly on the edge of our seat, waiting and anticipating what or where Shakespeare is going to take us next. What struck me throughout the play was the relationship between Polonius and his daughter Ophelia. Through Hamlet, and thus through Polonius and Ophelia’s relationship and diction with each other, Shakespeare is able to express to us the flawed ways in which relationship between father and daughter can be and consequently are acted out upon.

We are first introduced to the flawed relationship between Polonius and Ophelia when her brother, Laertes, is departing for Norway in Act 1 Scene 3. Here, Ophelia shows the viewer/reader her subservient behavior and her undeniable love for her family, and how that is taken for granted at the same time. Laertes tries to warn Ophelia and convince her not to get involved with Hamlet, “Fear it, Ophelia. Fear it, my dear sister, / And keep you in the rear of your affection, / Out of the shot and danger of desire.” (I.iii.33-35). Laertes is, to be blunt, telling Ophelia not to have premarital sex with Hamlet, basically scaring her away from doing so. And though she readily agrees, because he is after all her brother, it is her father Polonius that really uses and takes advantage of Ophelia’s loyalty to her family.

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...of this she dies.

As you can see, through the examination of diction between Polonius and Ophelia within the play we are able to see just how corrupt Polonius was in his relationship with his daughter. Not only did he continuously insult and demean her every chance he got, but in doing so and controlling her life for so long, she inevitably couldn’t live on without him after he was killed. Therefore, you could say that Polonius basically killed her, without getting his hands dirty. Ironic how her father died at the hands of the one man she loved, of whom her father fiercely demanded she stay away from. On the surface, we see that perhaps Polonius did this out of love; however upon further inspection and examination through his diction, we can see that he was nothing more than a controlling man who wanted it all – but ended up losing it all – at a hefty price.