Analysis Of Hamlet's Relationship With Ophelia

Monarchs and royalty have ruled over us common people for millennia -excluding the past few centuries- and while there have been some great royals like Qin Shi Huang, Julius Caesar, and the current Queen Elizabeth II, there have certainly been some bad ones too. Caligula, a crazed Roman emperor that raped and killed his sister, and Queen Mary I, a devout Catholic that burned three hundred protestants at the stake and lost the last territories England had on the European continent, are both examples of royals that never should’ve been trusted with the throne. Just because someone is born in the line of succession doesn’t mean that they should be given power. Despite Hamlet’s cunning, intelligence, and support from the people, he would’ve made

Hamlet is self-absorbed. He cares more about his own problems than those of his people, and this can be seen in his relationship with Ophelia and how oblivious he is to the emotions of other people. This is a less than ideal quality for a leader to have, as it’s important for a king to put the desires of his people above his own. Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia could never work out, as Laertes points out to Ophelia by saying that “[Hamlet’s] will is not his own, / for he himself is subject to his birth” (I.iii.17-8). Hamlet, however, never realizes that their relationship would not be recognized by the Danish people and pursues Ophelia relentlessly, even after she refuses his advances in Act III Scene i. Hamlet acts brashly towards her during ‘The Mouse-trap’

A king should be determined and definite. He should know what he wants to do and stick to his decision. Prince Fortinbras is a good example of how Hamlet should’ve behaved in the play; he decided to retake the land his father lost in a duel and amassed his army and would’ve followed through with his plan, he had not been told otherwise by his uncle. Hamlet on the other hand, takes three acts to make up his mind and still doesn’t follow through with his intended plan for revenge. His killing of Claudius is described as manslaughter rather than murder and it refutes his earlier words that Claudius’ murder would be “bloody,” therefore the action is “nothing worth” (IV.iv.66). Claudius, villainous as he is, should be viewed as an example for how Hamlet should desire to be. Claudius gets the idea in his mind that he wants to be king, murders his brother, marries his sister-in-law, and takes the throne so quickly that “the memory be green” (I.ii.2), implying that Hamlet Sr.’s reign was so recent it was still fresh in everyone’s mind. Hamlet’s indecisiveness impairs his decision making skills, and so when he finally does something, it’s usually very reckless. Both his stabbing of Polonius through the curtain and signing off on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s deaths reflect his poor decision making skills. While the former can