The nunnery scene of Act 3 Scene 1 of Shakespeare's formidable Hamlet holds a mystery. Did or did not Hamlet know that Polonius and Claudius were ease-dropping on his conversation with Ophelia? There are three main possibilities: one, Hamlet knows from the beginning of Polonius and Claudius' intrusion of his and Ophelia's privacy; two, he only finds out in the middle of the scene; three, he remains entirely ignorant of the situation. There is no way to determine what Shakespeare had intended for Hamlet to know (or rather, not know). However, by utilizing the process of elimination, we - the readers - can discover (or feign to discover) what is going on inside Hamlet's head during Scene 1 of Act 3.
"Where's your father?"--the reader will agree that this is a rather curious question for a guy dissolving his relationship with a girl that he (supposedly) loved; especially after "Go thy ways to a nunnery"--which is, in itself, a perplexing thing to say to an ex-girlfriend in the first place (244). The line "Where's your father?" is probably the cornerstone evidence of the theory that Hamlet does indeed know that Polonius and Claudius are spying on him. Why else would Hamlet ask this out-of-place question after giving a lengthy speech on virtue and nunneries?
Ophelia's answer: "At home , my lord," even seems to aggravate Hamlet. His new attitude toward Ophelia, where he begins to verbally attack her as a woman that will cheat on her husband, is shown here, immediately following Ophelia's false answer: "Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them" (244). The "monster" is actually a cuckold, a husband whose wife has been unfaithful, who was believed to have horns. Why else would Hamlet suddenly change his attitude toward Ophelia, unless he knew that she was being dishonest to him? Before Ophelia's answer Hamlet only blames his "old stock"--his family; for he believes himself incapable of love or of honesty because his uncle has murdered his father and his mother has wed (after only a short duration of time) the murderer. However, after the answer, Hamlet takes his mocking of Ophelia to a new level, scorning all women in the process.
Hamlet does insult Ophelia prior to her answer--telling her that she has only beauty: for beauty and honesty do not go hand in hand. This may seem to prove that Hamlet does know about Polonius and Claudius spying on him, and Ophelia being an instrument of their plot. However, Hamlet is mostly likely upset about Ophelia asking him to take back his gifts to her which he sees as the exact means by how Claudius tempted his mother. Hamlet is most likely upset about Ophelia's rejection of his love as well as the comparison between Hamlet's tokens to Ophelia and those of Claudius to Gertrude.
"Those that are married already-all but one-shall live"--this is testimony that Hamlet does not know that Claudius is spying on him (245). The "one" that is married and will not live refers to Claudius, and it is unlikely that Hamlet will have said this had he known that the "one" he refers to is listening to his threat. However, just because Hamlet believes that Claudius is not in the room does not mean that he did not believe Polonius was not listening to him.
By process of elimination, it seems that Hamlet did not know that Claudius was listening to him; however, Hamlet probably found out that Polonius was spying on him right before he asked "Where's your father?" for his attitude toward Ophelia changes after her false reply to him.
The nunnery scene of Act 3 Scene 1 of Shakespeare's formidable Hamlet holds a mystery. Did or did not Hamlet know that Polonius and Claudius were ease-dropping on his conversation with Ophelia? There are three main possibilities: one, Hamlet knows from the beginning of Polonius and Claudius' intrusion of his and Ophelia's privacy; two, he only finds out in the middle of the scene; three, he remains entirely ignorant of the situation. There is no way to determine what Shakespeare had intended for Hamlet to know (or rather, not know). However, by utilizing the process of elimination, we - the readers - can discover (or feign to discover) what is going on inside Hamlet's head during Scene 1 of Act 3.
"Where's your father?"--the reader will agree that this is a rather curious question for a guy dissolving his relationship with a girl that he (supposedly) loved; especially after "Go thy ways to a nunnery"--which is, in itself, a perplexing thing to say to an ex-girlfriend in the first place (244). The line "Where's your father?" is probably the cornerstone evidence of the theory that Hamlet does indeed know that Polonius and Claudius are spying on him. Why else would Hamlet ask this out-of-place question after giving a lengthy speech on virtue and nunneries?
Ophelia's answer: "At home , my lord," even seems to aggravate Hamlet. His new attitude toward Ophelia, where he begins to verbally attack her as a woman that will cheat on her husband, is shown here, immediately following Ophelia's false answer: "Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them" (244). The "monster" is actually a cuckold, a husband whose wife has been unfaithful, who was believed to have horns. Why else would Hamlet suddenly change his attitude toward Ophelia, unless he knew that she was being dishonest to him? Before Ophelia's answer Hamlet only blames his "old stock"--his family; for he believes himself incapable of love or of honesty because his uncle has murdered his father and his mother has wed (after only a short duration of time) the murderer. However, after the answer, Hamlet takes his mocking of Ophelia to a new level, scorning all women in the process.
Hamlet does insult Ophelia prior to her answer--telling her that she has only beauty: for beauty and honesty do not go hand in hand. This may seem to prove that Hamlet does know about Polonius and Claudius spying on him, and Ophelia being an instrument of their plot. However, Hamlet is mostly likely upset about Ophelia asking him to take back his gifts to her which he sees as the exact means by how Claudius tempted his mother. Hamlet is most likely upset about Ophelia's rejection of his love as well as the comparison between Hamlet's tokens to Ophelia and those of Claudius to Gertrude.
"Those that are married already-all but one-shall live"--this is testimony that Hamlet does not know that Claudius is spying on him (245). The "one" that is married and will not live refers to Claudius, and it is unlikely that Hamlet will have said this had he known that the "one" he refers to is listening to his threat. However, just because Hamlet believes that Claudius is not in the room does not mean that he did not believe Polonius was not listening to him.
By process of elimination, it seems that Hamlet did not know that Claudius was listening to him; however, Hamlet probably found out that Polonius was spying on him right before he asked "Where's your father?" for his attitude toward Ophelia changes after her false reply to him.