In Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy Hamlet, Shakespeare has characters such as Laertes, and Hamlet display verbal violence towards Ophelia, ignorant that their words cause the limited time they have with her before her suicide. Shakespeare then uses these acts of verbal violence to epitomize that life is fragile and one should value loved ones before they expire. Shakespeare uses Laertes’s stern tone and objectifying diction when speaking to Ophelia about her relationship with Hamlet to illustrate his verbal violence towards her that adds to her desire for death; exemplifying that life is frail and that one should value loved ones before they die. Shakespeare begins Laertes his tirade with him reminding Ophelia that Hamlet’s passion and love for her is only ‘“a toy in blood’” and would only last a “‘minute’”, harshly revealing that Laertes believes Hamlet, …show more content…
In act 3 Ophelia respectfully attempts to return Hamlet's gifts back to him, Hamlet; however, just laughs at her and asks if she is ‘"honest’", showing complete disrespect for Ophelia. This is a blatant act of verbal violence against Ophelia because she is attempting to be respectful to ‘"lord”’ Hamlet, but like Laertes he objectifies her by focusing on her virginity (Ham. III.I.102,103). Here Shakespeare exhibits Hamlet’s complete unappreciation and disrespect for Ophelia by displaying the verbal swords that devalued her as a human being and caused her death. Shakespeare then has Hamlet continue his verbal attack by admitting he “lov’d her not”, displaying that the amount cruelty Hamlet forced Ophelia to undergo was very potent (Ham. III.i.115). Shakespeare uses Hamlet to epitomize the fragility of life and the importance of valuing someone before their