Did Hamlet Love Ophelia?
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a young Prince seeks revenge against his murderous uncle, the
King that killed his father. In the corner of his frenzied mind, a complicated Hamlet carries a
love for the beautiful Ophelia. Hell bent on revenge, this complicated tale begs the question,
is it all fair in love and war?
For as long as men have had battles, men have wanted to leave legacies for their children.
In the beginning of this story, Shakespeare introduces a ghost that the night watchmen have
seen, the former deceased King, Hamlet Sr. Shortly after, the young prince Hamlet meets
with the ghost who tells him that he was murdered, how it was done and by whom. “And
duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed
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Now, Hamlet, hear. ‘Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent
stung me, so the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death, rankly abused,
but know, thous noble youth, the serpent that sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” (p.
78). Hatred, anger and betrayal kick in, with a dire need for vengeance. Broken and beside
himself, Hamlet makes a solemn vow. “O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling
damned villain! At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark. So, uncle, there you are. Now to
my word, It is ‘Adieu, adieu, remember me.’ I have sworn’t” (p. 82). Not only was his father
murdered, but his mother appeared to have forgotten her late husband, now married to her
new King, Hamlet’s uncle. So he came up with a plan for revenge, complete with collateral
damage that included the love of his life. “Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all
trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms, all pressures past that youth and
observation copied there, and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and
volume of my brain” (p. 82). This is the beginning of his mental
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Polonius thinks Hamlet is losing his mind over her, so dear old dad goes into
protective father mode and tells Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet. “I would not, in plain
terms, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk
with the Lord Hamlet” (p. 66). Like a dutiful daughter, she agrees. That could not have been
easy for Hamlet. In his darkest hours he had reached out to her and she rejected him.
Laertes, in overprotective big brother fashion, sits her down for a quick lecture before he
takes off for school. Basically, he tells her that men will fall in lust with a pretty face, a rocking
body and how available a woman makes herself. And what else does he tell her? He says
she is not enough for a guy like Hamlet. “Perhaps he loves you now, and now no soil nor
cautel doth besmirch the virtue of his will; but you must fear, his greatness weighed, his will
is not his own” p.58). Child-like and easily controlled, Ophelia gives in to family pressure and
shuts Hamlet out. Feeling rejected and paranoid, Hamlet knew he had to let her go, he must
have felt further away from her than ever