ipl-logo

Love And Madness In Hamlet

1347 Words6 Pages

Regan Garey
ENG 432-0100
Dr. Cox
19 September 2016
Love and Madness in Hamlet
Although Harold Walley did not pay much attention to Hamlet and Ophelia’s love story in his article titled “Shakespeare’s Conception of ‘Hamlet’” (1933), it is acknowledged that Hamlet “loved the lady Ophelia” and it was through this love that Hamlet “was nearly snared to his destruction” (Walley 784). An age-old question for Shakespearian scholars and audiences of Hamlet has been this: was the love between Hamlet and Ophelia true or was it feigned? Arguments can be made for both sides; Hamlet did, after all, request Ophelia to “get… to a nunnery” (3.1.21). I, however, believe Hamlet and Ophelia did love one another deeply. This love is mutual and runs deep, but it is never brought to fruition due to the choices made on each side; this is, perhaps, the largest tragedy of Hamlet. It is important for readers to realize the time period Hamlet was directly seated in. As pointed out by Reta A. Terry in “’Vows to the Blackest Devil’: …show more content…

By this point, Ophelia has lost her father and Hamlet. It becomes clear she is questioning her choices at this point and deeply regrets certain actions taken. Allison A. Chapman, in her article titled “Ophelia’s ‘Old Lauds”: Madness and Hagiography in Hamlet,” discusses Ophelia’s spiral to demise. Chapman points out that “trying to submit to her father and to be a good potential wife for Hamlet has brought her nothing” except “shattering grief and madness” (Chapman 123). Looking back, Ophelia remarks, “how should I your true-love know/ From another one?” (4.5.23-24). Ophelia questions her choices by asking if she could have possibly known who her true love was. She also briefly mentions the story of the baker’s daughter, which is crucial. This mention alone alludes to the fact that Ophelia regretted her choices made with Hamlet. Chapman described the importance of this piece within Hamlet well,

Show More
Related

Hamlet 5 Stages Of Grief Essay

781 Words | 4 Pages

Her initial denial comes from the rejection of her love by Hamlet, leading to anger and confusion. She then begins to bargain with herself, trying to understand why Hamlet has treated her so coldly. As the play progresses, Ophelia's depression deepens. She becomes overwhelmed by the events around her, ultimately leading to her tragic demise. Ophelia's story shows how grief can be not only a response to loss but also to rejection and disappointment.

Read More

Dialectical Journal Of Hamlet

981 Words | 4 Pages

As the innocent victim of Hamlet’s feigned madness, Ophelia’s insanity is a product of her inability to cope with Hamlet and her father’s death. Her songs show hidden grief and sorrow; her flowers represent the fact that beneath the innocent exterior, there is a weakness or flaw in everyone. Hamlet was able to look past his grief for his father’s death, but he caused someone he loves to be in pain. Whether it is the frailty of women, sorrow, or death, anything, including love, can appear to be pleasant, but can be the ultimate cause of a person’s

Read More

Depression And Anger In Hamlet

948 Words | 4 Pages

King Hamlet loved Gertrude with all his heart that he “might not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly” this represents true unforgettable love. Hamlet is exasperated about his mother’s hasty marriage that he claims a “beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer”. Gertrude’s hasty marriage with Claudius seems to Hamlet as done with “wicked speed to post with such dexterity to incestous sheets” showing Hamlet is disgusted with this relationship and aggressively disapproves to this action. Further into the play Act 3 Scene 2, Hamlet is having a conservation with Ophelia when he mentions “look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within two hours” showing anger towards the happiness of his mother. Throughout the play Hamlet uncovers horrible deeds his uncle has committed, which were “Remorseless, Treacherous, lecherous”.

Read More

The Role Of Insanity In Hamlet

645 Words | 3 Pages

One primary example which proves the insanity behind Hamlet’s loss of love for Ophelia is when he berates her for being a pawn of her father. During his encounter with Ophelia, Hamlet states that, “If thou dost marry, I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry. Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell” (x).

Read More

Examples Of Insanity In Hamlet

1154 Words | 5 Pages

When Ophelia returns all his letters and gifts he tells her that he has never loved her and that she should “get thyself to a nunnery.” This is one example how his mood changes throughout the play. Then after all this her father, Polinous, is murdered by Hamlet. The Hamlet is sent away to England All of these actions result in her feeling such stress that she becomes insane in the end.

Read More

Significance Of Ophelia In Hamlet

493 Words | 2 Pages

When they are aware of Hamlet’s feelings towards Ophelia they are convinced that he would just use her for her virginity then break her heart. Ophelia is torn because she is sure in her heart that Hamlet loves her, even though she could never be his wife. Being raised with just men in her life she has no idea how to go about dealing with Hamlet and his mixed feelings. Ophelia starts to go mad dealing with the problem of choosing between her father’s wishes and her true

Read More

Ophelia Submissive Women In Hamlet

277 Words | 2 Pages

For the duration of the play, Ophelia was portrayed as a naïve and submissive woman. Her passivity and powerlessness reinforce the voicelessness of women during the Elizabethan era. For example, “I shall obey, my lord” (I.iii.134) shows that Ophelia concedes to her father’s will, even though she believes Hamlet’s love is genuine. She is willing and expected to obey her father despite the fact that she still loves Hamlet, which emphasizes her character’s submissive nature. Furthermore, in Act I Laertes warns Ophelia that it would be shameful of her to love Hamlet, and she responds with “I shall the effect of this good lesson keep as a watchman to my heart” (I.iii.45).

Read More

Love Is Toxic In Shakespeare's Hamlet

937 Words | 4 Pages

Love is Toxic “ But never doubt that I love” (2.2.119). Throughout the play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, Hamlet professes much love to his girlfriend Ophelia. However he begins to mistreat her through his antic dispositions caused by revenge on his uncle, King Claudius, who killed his father.

Read More

Ophelia's Soliloquy Essay

905 Words | 4 Pages

In Act III, scene i of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, readers will come upon Ophelia’s soliloquy. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have failed to find a reason as to why Hamlet is acting in a peculiar and mad way, Claudius is persuaded by Polonius that the reason for Hamlet’s madness is the broken romance between Hamlet and Ophelia. To prove this, Claudius and Polonius plan to spy on Ophelia’s meeting with Hamlet. During their conversation, Hamlet denies ever having loved her and curses her. Ophelia is left fretting over his sanity.

Read More

Paradox In Hamlet And Ophelia

1389 Words | 6 Pages

This was one of the many letters Hamlet wrote and it can clearly be seen that Hamlet did indeed love her, but others can argue it was just a meaningless lust-filled relationship (Rosenburg 383). Had this just been a fling with a common girl, Hamlet would not have felt the need to make sure she was no longer a distraction and make her weary of

Read More

Essay On Does Hamlet Really Love Ophelia

806 Words | 4 Pages

In Act 5 scene 1, page 12 Hamlet says “ I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her.” In this case, the hamlet has proven to everyone that he is in love with Ophelia, with him saying that if you added a forty thousand brothers their love couldn't match mine. With this Hamlet is finally coming out and finally showing his love for Ophelia.

Read More

Comparison Of Hamlet And Ophelia

839 Words | 4 Pages

“Love can be uncertain, but true: The story of Hamlet and Ophelia” Love is a feeling difficult to understand. In fact no one exactly knows what does it mean to be in love. Some argue that being in love is feeling butterflies in the stomach and being constantly thinking about someone special. In my opinion, to love someone means to care for them and show respect at all times. In this play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, love is portrayed between the main character, Hamlet and the dear Ophelia.

Read More

Hamlet A Misogynist Analysis

937 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet once again fails to understand that Ophelia much like himself is only trying to stay loyal to her father, much like what he is doing himself. In addition, Hamlet blames woman for giving birth to such evil and deceiving men like Claudius and himself. When he was talking to Ophelia he told her "Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better

Read More

Hamlet: The Cause Of Ophelia's Suicide

745 Words | 3 Pages

Ophelia is grieving the loss of her father after Hamlet kills him. Ophelia doesn't know that Hamlet killed her father. But Ophelia has gone mad from learning about her father's death. Also, after Hamlet telling Ophelia that she needs to go to a nunnery, Ophelia is a little bit discouraged. She is discouraged because Hamlet had told her before that if Ophelia would sleep with him that they would get married.

Read More

How Is Love Portrayed In Hamlet

88 Words | 1 Pages

Love is a very strong feeling and it 's portrayed in many ways. In Hamlet, Ophelia, the daughter of Polonius, has fallen for The young Prince Hamlet. In the play, Hamlet confuses us in the beginning because we think he’s just using her for pleasure, and not that he actually has feelings for her. But at the end of the story, we see a whole other side to the story. We see how much he actually loves her and not that he was using her for his own needs.

Read More

More about Love And Madness In Hamlet

Related Topics

Open Document