Love Bet Ophelia and Hamlet

Nehemie Kabeya

Mr. John Prince

Writing about Literature

April 16, 2021

Love Bet Ophelia and Hamlet

As a director, the interpretation of act I scene I is of much significance to the understanding of how much Ophelia is submissive to hamlet and what this means for her family and feminine character. This is the scene the interaction between Polonius and Hamlet is to a great extent. The uncertainties of the protagonist and the scheme have unlocked immeasurable interpretative options. This variety likely gives a challenge purposely made by the writer to provoke addressees interest. Scene I presents a tender, if somewhat humorous, conversation that displays the relationship between Ophelia, her brother, and father. In this paper therefore the love of Ophelia towards hamlet is discussed with the views of her lack of motherly advisers and how her brother and father influence her love life and especially with a focus on her relationship with hamlet.

In Act, I, Scene III, I Polonius is portrayed as very strict and full of power. This is visible through how he talks to Ophelia. When the scene opens, Ophelia tries to leave the room while her father tries to ask her about what Laertes did. Polonius takes her inside and begins interrogating her. Polonius uses a neutral tone in the opening lines when he asks about Hamlet as he says what he overheard, however, his tone escalates gradually into a serious tone. (William, 102). Polonius treats her daughter with kindness and love in all dealings. He even goes ahead to ask her, “What is between you? Give me up the truth” (William, 107). He says this in wishes to know what her daughter is involved in and how this can be helped if it is the wrong direction of action. In the chapter, he is seated beside her daughter, with his eyes sternly looking into her eyes with his brows wrinkled, and clutching her hands, quaking it in some way violently as he furiously demands the truth from her.

By use of a disdainful tone, Polonius talks quickly to dismiss Ophelia’s ideas of Hamlet’s love. He continues to show off his disgust for the love she was in as he knew very well that it was not good for her. He does this through his tonal variation and gestures; “Affection, uh!” (William, 110), as if he were scooting away Ophelia’s idea, he is amazed that her daughter was in such kind of things and therefore he and his son who is her brother warned her against men and what they could do to her. They both wanted her to maintain her chastity.

Ophelia appears to generally agree with and accept what individuals tell her, for instance, Hamlet’s proposals which she trusts to be affection in addition to the advice Laertes gives her. This is because she trusts both of them and she knows that they wish and want the best for her. In her next conversation with Polonius, her character changes and she becomes even more listening and does not give a lot of explanation but listens more keenly. In her very brief replying lines, I had an imagination of Ophelia speaking somehow softly and thoughtfully, having a hesitation when she speaks initially on and develops confidence as she attempts to persuade her dad that Hamlet adores her, but ultimately giving a submissive tone when she agrees with doing what her dad decides. She utilizes hand gestures and visual expressions of what she feels and attempts to influence the father of her words that she is in love with hamlet. She states that “He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders of his affection to me.” When she says this the facial expressions and gestures change to show how much she values this man whom his father does not want to hear about.

She displays the current situation of conversations between parents and their children about dating and if it is a good time for dating. The conversations also range from when the parents try to tell their children to wait while in some cases the children especially those who are teenagers or just post-teenage years manage to win their parents and therefore are allowed to go on with their dating life. Ophelia took her dating very seriously and she was very submissive to hamlet. they sat in the living room with each other and discussed a lot of things together.

However, most teenagers in contemporary society do not wish to listen to their parents especially if the parents are very much limiting the teenagers into what they can do. Therefore parents like the father to Ophelia are having a difficult time trying to determine what it means for them to have children and the right way to advise them about dating life. Ophelia is submissive to hamlet and for the sake of love which she is shown by her lover and how things turn out that she also loves him she tries to convince her father about her love instead of leaving hamlet.

Therefore, in conclusion, this is a display of contemporary life whereby love has dominated the worlds of the young, and even though it is misunderstood and misused it remains a very important part of society. Parents are the ones given the responsibility to guide their children in the right manner to the right way to love.

Works Cited

Evans, Rachel. “Hamlet by William Shakespeare, and: Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw.” Theatre Journal 70.1 (2018): 92-94.

Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet: [1604].” Oxford Text Archive Core Collection (1991).

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