Hammm+Lindsay

When Hamlet is confronting Ophelia near the mirror, does Hamlet know that Claudius and Polonius are behind the door?

It is truly a question whether Hamlet’s tirade against Ophelia was inspired by his realization of the presence of Polonius and Claudius. It would not be a stretch to think that Hamlet has recognized that someone is eavesdropping on him. If we take a close look at this soliloquy, it is noticeable that this one is quite different from others in a sense that he does not refer to either his disappointment at his mother or sorrow for his father’s death. Because he is talking quite “abstract” than he usually is, we could assume that he is being careful not to say anything that would damage his plans by letting Polonius and Claudius. Think of it this way: what if they were watching in Act II where Hamlet speaks of his “murdered father” with an outburst? He wouldn’t have said something that would give his enemies a clue of what his plan is about.

On the other hand, we also notice that he so reflective inwardly in this scene that he might just really feel lonely. So for this part, he might be unaware of their presence behind the doors. But right after he asks Ophelia “where’s your father,” (Shakespeare III.i) his emotion drastically becomes rash and angry. He is obviously not believing the fact that her father is at home. So he switches from a short and tender moment to an anguish one. He exclaims: “Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool nowhere but in’s own house.”

So we simply come down to two assumptions. Which one is right? We would never know. It is really up to the readers’ interpretation. However, one thing is for sure: this is a place where the readers would decide upon his true sanity. If you think that he is being watched and knowingly acted “mad,” then you are probably thinking that Hamlet is pretending to be a mad man. Nevertheless, if you think he is unaware of the presence of Polonius and Claudius, you are probably thinking that Hamlet is truly mad and fraught with emotional intensity. I take both sides. We haven’t seen much of his actions yet, so I think it’s a little too early to “diagnose” his madness.