HamNun+Lauren+Lee

Lauren Lee AP Literature 4/11/2010

Hamlet Essay

In the middle of Act 3.1 of Hamlet, Ophelia and Hamlet have an argument. This argument is likely to end their relationship for sure as Hamlet severely denounces, not only Ophelia, but women overall. Claudius and Polonius is hiding, watching every part of the conversation to prove that Hamlet is crazy. Though his speech does not match with his feelings for Ophelia, I still do not think he knew that Claudius and Polonius was watching him. I think it’s either he purposely ended his relationship with her to concentrate on his revenge or it’s that he suddenly got angry from Ophelia’s offer to return his gifts. Act 3.1 starts out with the renowned “To be, or not to be? That is the question” speech from Hamlet (Act 3.1.57). His speech clearly shows that he’s in great amount of pain from his pressure of having to revenge for his father and pain from knowing the truth. He even thinks about committing suicide but stops as everyone else survives their suffering as well. Right when Ophelia enters to perform her action, Hamlet says, “The fair Ophelia!—Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered.” (Act 3.1.90). I interpreted this line as Hamlet still being in love with Ophelia but having to ignore his feelings for his revenge. The part of the line “be all my sins remembered” seems to say that Hamlet feels bad for what he’s about to do. This line supports both of my theories as it proves that he does love Ophelia, calling her a “nymph” gives me that impression, and it also proves my second theory in that Hamlet feels sorry for what he’s going to do to Ophelia: denounce her to act like he doesn’t love her. His later lines further support my thoughts. He, at first, greets Ophelia nicely with “I humbly thank you. Well, well, well” (Act 3.1.93). However, as soon as Ophelia says she’s here to return the “remembrances of [Hamlet’s] that [she] have longed long to redeliver”, Hamlet’s nice attitude disappears and he seems extremely frustrated. He might have felt betrayed and disappointed as even Ophelia, who is the only person that Hamlet relies on now, turns her back on him. His love is clearly rejected when she says that she will give him his presents back. He rejects that he has given her anything when she has to prove in front of her father and the King that he’s madly in love with her. I don’t think this is because he knew that they were watching but more because he felt betrayed as his love was rejected to his face. Maybe he was so embarrassed that he wanted to run away from the fact that he had loved someone that doesn’t want to love him back. He clearly says that he no longer loves her even if he had loved her once. He says, “I loved you not” (Act 2.1.121). My second theory on how he’s acting to end their relationship to concentrate on his revenge is supported by his later lines. He says, “I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves, all. Believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery” (Act 3.1.125-131). This might sound mean in that he’s telling her to go to a nunnery but it can also be portrayed as his sign of care towards Ophelia. He wants her to be careful of guys. It’s unreasonable to think hat his love just suddenly ended. As these lines support both of my arguments, I don’t think he knows that Claudius and Polonius is watching. I think his harsh speech is due to anger from Ophelia’s offer to return his gifts or his plan to stop loving her for his revenge.