Hamlet & Ophelia

Hamlet & Ophelia

1. The audience remains unaware in Act 2 whether Hamlets madness is real- We only have Ophelia's description

   • 'doublet all unbraced/ No hat upon his head'
     • Ophelias dexription suggests real madness, and playwrights often use disheveled clothes as a sign of madness.
   • 'to find his way without his eyes ... to their last bended their light on me'
     • He wants to make himself seem harmless, by playing the distracted and besotted lover- as if he cannot focus on anything but her
   • 'I'll wipe away all fond records'
     • Hamlet says this in Act 1 scene 5- So this mad meeting could be Hamlet saying good-bye- This attachment also foreshadows Hamlet's outrage at ophelia's betrayal
   • 'A sigh so piteous and profound/ as it did seem to shatter all his bulk'
     • This may not be a theatrical gesture but express his genuine dismay at the end of their relationship. Juxtaposing a 'sigh' -small and insignificant with something as large and necessary as his body- demonstrates how seemingly little things, when done with meaning can have serious consequences- eg Ophelia's complience or Polonius' spying'. 'shatter' represents how fragile Hamlet is- not just break but completely separates into hundreds of pieces
   • 'such persual of my face/ As 'a he would draw it'
     • Re-emphasises the Idea he is saying good-bye- Closely analysing the face- looking for faults in women- already expressed his conflict with them- appearance vs reality.

2. In Act 3 Scene 1, after Hamlets troubled soliliquy- The entrance of Ophelia Changes his tone to an affectionate one- showing his feelings. Ophelias reaction triggers a different response entirely.

   • 'soft you now,/The fair Ophelia! Nymph in thy Orisons'
     • Exclamatory sentence- Much more gentle/affectionate language 'Nymph' 'soft' 'fair'. Links her with Orayers and Goodness 'Orisons'-'thy' intimate and affectionate straight away- Shows he is comfortable around her-tender instinctive reaction
   • 'How does your honour for this day my Lord
     • 'you'- trying to create distance between her and Hamlet- knows father is listening- impersonal language blocks any proper communication between the two.
   • 'I have remembrances if yours that I have long longed to redeliver
     • Repetition of 'long shows that she is not just returning them but has wanted to for a while- more hurtful for Hamlet- depsite his tender greetings she is very dismissive of his feelings and the power she holds over them. Triggers his lie 'I never gave you aught'- from hurt.
   • 'So sweet breath composed .. their perfume lost'
     • Perhaps this is ophelias way of getting her own back on Hamlet for his frantic unexplained meeting- which would justify her hostility- This does indicate she was charmed by them but attraction/feeling has gone-
   • 'Rich gifts wax poor when giver prove unkind'
     • Being very general- not accusing him- polite and distant- such formality and indirect accusations make the conversation very tense and strained- uncomfortable atmosphere for audience.

3. Hamlet grows very impatient and angry with Ophelia's dismissive actions- triggering a raging violent outburst.He switches hios speech to prose- increasing the tension as there is no longer any restraint- no longer filtered and careful

   • 'Are you honest? Are you fair?'
     • Interrogative questions- agression starts to attack her saying that beauty and chastity are incompatible.
   • 'I did love you once'
     • Hamlet confirms Laertes warning of temporary love- its monosyllabic nature id blunt- making it more dramatic and painful
   • 'Get thee to a Nunnery'
     • Begins to use long sentences as his anger grows when he suspects her of spieing- Suddenly turns to 'thee'- used in an insulting and devaluing manner- intensifies anger and brutality of his words. Ambiguity of nunnery- Brothel or religous vow to chastity- confusion of feelings.
   • 'Farewell
     • Done with her as soon as she lies to him.
   • 'Wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them'
     • Generalising women- attacking them in general- suggests Women are the downfall to men- take no responsibility- believes them to be uncaring and selfish

4. At her funeral- Hamlet expresses his loe for her- but it is less sincere and more competiive.

   • 'Forty thousand brothers/ Could not with all quantity of love/ Make up my sum'
     • Infuriated- accuses L of trying to outface him.- Hyperbollic- whole confrontation introduces tension between H nd L- seems unrealistic considering the way he treated her.
   • 'Woul't weep. woul't fight. woul't fast. woul't drink up eisel' I'l do 't'
     • Such strong claims in his declartion of love for Ophelia- contrast to ay he treated her- again hyerbollic.
   • H + L arge about who loved hr most at the funeral but she isn't mentioned agin- treated like an object- used to prove their superiority rather thaan as a areal person- used even after death.