HamNun+Iljee

Il-jee Kam April 12, 2010 AP Literature

One of the most difficult things about reading a play-- interpreting the play when acted. Depending on the interpretation of the director, the character’s personality is altered, which then has affect on the story audience perceives. Shakespeare play is no exception; his plays consist of scenes, which can be interpreted in numerous ways that could alter story-lines. (Which also explains the numbers of Hamlet plays produced) An example in 3.1 when Hamlet is in middle of conversation with Ophelia. The scene includes two other characters Polonius and Claudius and the reader’s call is wether to have: one, Hamlet know from beginning that they are in the room; two, to have Hamlet not know that they are in the room until later in the scene, and lastly to have Hamlet never know he is being watched.

If I were to be directing the play and were to interpret into my favor, I would go with option two, when Hamlet realizes he is being watched while he is talking to Ophelia. It makes things more logical to me especially because in previous scene when Ophelia discusses about Hamlet with Polonius, Hamlet had once already overheard the conversation. And Hamlet, once having eavesdropped on the conversation of Polonius warning Ophelia to stay away, intentionally pretends to be a bad boy, to make Polonius believe that his love towards Ophelia is not truthful.

Some clues we receive that Hamlet’s is begin insincere when Hamlet says, “I loved you not.” (Hamlet. 3.1.120) include change in Hamlet’s voice. My best scenario would be that Hamlet finds out he is being watched around about line 43 of Act 3 Scene 1. Hamlet’s “Well, well, well” (Hamlet. 3.1.94) can have a sarcastic tone and dual meeting; one being really to break the awkward silence between the two, or another being “well, well, well, I see what is happening”. Before his realization that someone was watching, Hamlet showed affection towards, just like how Ophelia had described. Calling Ophelia a fair and asking her to remember him when she prays. However, right after line 94, he realizes, his attitude suddenly changes. Suddenly when Ophelia tells Hamlet to take back her remembrances, Hamlet abruptly cuts Ophelia’s speech and curtly says that he gave nothing to her, and that his feelings for her had disappeared. Like I mentioned before, his reactions could be logically explained with previous scene when he finds out Ophelia intends to avoid Hamlet.

These minor details of the play influence on tone, attitude of a character which later then alters our view of the story. If Hamlet did not know he wasn’t being watched, likely we can interpret his conversation with Ophelia to be more sincere.