HamNun+Mike+Bock

Mike Bock AP Literature Ms. Porter April 12, 2010

Interpretation of the Nunnery Scene

So, Hamlet did know that Polonius and Claudius are watching him from the beginning of the scene. What happened within the scene, you might ask? What occurred was that Hamlet sought to test Gertrude. Not directly by questioning her but by planning a play that involved newly created ‘fictional’ characters that basically reenacted the situation with Hamlet’s father’s situation. The whole purpose was to observe Gertrude’s reactions to the scene when the King gets poisoned. Throughout the whole scene, Ophelia is present by Hamlet’s side to give him counsel. Yes, Hamlet does act as if he knows that no one is watching him and speaks freely to Ophelia about matters of his father’s death and of Gertrude’s gayness. But, take a closer look at line 98, Hamlet says, “It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there--the players ready?”

Let us consider the situation a little further. Just before the play began, Polonius and Hamlet were having small talk between themselves and Hamlet directly questions Polonius if he had participated in a play at university. Without any suspicions, Polonius answers with a definite ‘yes’ and adds on that he played Julius Caesar, a main character. Here, the readers can observe the analogy that is employed by Shakespeare. Julius Caesar was a Roman Emperor that once ruled the Empire alongside two other men within a triumvirate. However, wanting more power, he killed off the other two and tried to establish a dictatorship. Without a doubt, the readers are able to see the resemblance. Denmark, in Hamlet, was ruled peacefully by Hamlet’s father when it was taken away by force by Polonius. By placing such an analogy at the place, Shakespeare foreshadows the upcoming murder of Polonius by Hamlet.

The Roman analogy, “alright,” you might say. But everything is a mind game between the two leaders. We saw from the beginning of the play--with the appearance of the ghost--that the two sought to kill each other off, in order to either secure the throne or to revenge for the throne. The readers can see Hamlet’s mind game at play when he tries to lie his “head upon [Ophelia’s] lap (106). In Act 1 Scene 5, Laertes and Polonius clearly spoke to Ophelia ordering her to stay away from her. Find such fact out, Hamlet sought to madden Polonius so that his decisions would be clouded.

Hamlet also knows that Ophelia, although she might love him at the moment, she will always be loyal to her father over her love. And to have information carried to her father, he knew that Polonius will trust anything that Ophelia tells him. Therefore, in line 144, Hamlet says, “as woman’s love.” Directly showing his resentment over his mother’s actions in choosing Polonius.

Taking into account everything that had happened within the scene, we can see that Hamlet knew Polonius and Claudius were watching him, in consequence, played a mind game with the two.