Does Hamlet Love Ophelia?
Summary: Although Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia in
Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," it is possible to realize that he never
stopped loving her. In his ploy to make those around him believe that
he was mad, Hamlet sacrificed his love for Ophelia, hurting her when
he did not want to hurt her. Hamlet's true feelings are revealed
through his letters and his argument with Laertes after Ophelia's
death.
The word love is a powerful one, both in real life, and in Shakespeare's
play Hamlet. It is often a confusing concept, made even harder to
grasp when one of the lovers repeatedly changes his/her mind. In
Hamlet's case, his feelings towards Ophelia veer from love, to never
loved, to always love. This cycle of emotions is due to Hamlet feigning
madness. The time period in which Hamlet claimed to Ophelia that he
never loved her, was that in which his rage at his uncle was constantly
increasing. Although Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia, it is possible
to realize that he never stopped loving her.
Hamlet's love for Ophelia is first introduced to the reader by Ophelia
herself: "He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders of his affection
to me."(pg. 43 line 100) Hamlet has corresponded with Ophelia and
demonstrated the love he feels for her. Even at this point in the play,
Hamlet, without even having been seen around Ophelia, seems to be a
bit distant. This distance he forces between himself and Ophelia is in
part due to the fact that her brother and father are so overly protective
of her. Ophelia claims that Hamlet has confirmed his love for her "with
almost all the holy vows of heaven." (pg.45 line 115) Ophelia's words
that he does love her in this first act, are extremely important when
looking at the play as a whole because they allow the reader to
understand Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia. Ophelia's statement
shows that Hamlet has talked to her about love and they both feel they
love each other.
The reason for Hamlet's distance from Ophelia is revealed with the
progression of the play. As Ophelia tells Polonius:
He took me by the wrist and held me hard. Then goes he to the length
of all his arm, and, with his other hand thus o'er his brow he falls to
such perusal of my face as 'a would draw it. Long stayed he so. At last,
a little shaking of mine arm and thrice his head thus waving up and
down, he raised a sigh so piteous and profound as it did seem to
shatter all his bulk and end his being. That done, he lets me go, and
with his head over his shoulder turned he seemed to find his way
without his eyes, for out o' doors he went without their helps, and to
the last bended their light on me. (pg 75 line 90ish)
Ophelia's description of what happened when Hamlet came to see her,
half shows Hamlet's madness, and half his love for her. Hamlet's
silence towards her and his weird behavior in that scene shows his
confusion as to what is going on, or as is more likely, it proves his
madness with the passing of time. After Hamlet's peculiar display of
affection for Ophelia, she doesn't allow him to "access" her and doesn't
accept his letters. Ophelia's rejection to Hamlet's proposal of love was
the definite catalyst for Hamlet's denial of his love for her later on in
the play. Her refusal of him, adds to Hamlet's stress and results in him
using Ophelia as the person he lets out his frustration on.
Proof of his infatuation with Ophelia is given when Polonius brings one
of Hamlet's letters to the queen and king. On the letter, Hamlet has
written: "To the celestial and my soul's idol, the most beautified
Ophelia ... Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth
move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love." (pg. 85 line
109) This far in the play, this is the most direct proof of his love that
the reader sees. In this letter, Hamlet was sure that Ophelia would be
the only recipient and he was able to express his true and honest
feelings. But as the play progresses, Hamlet wavers in his display of
love because he sees that others are "studying" his every move.
Ophelia: My lord, I have remembrances of yours, that I have longed
long to redeliver. I pray you, now receive them.
Hamlet: No, not I, I never gave you aught. (pg 123 line 94)
This conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia is the first time that the
reader is able to observe how Ophelia and Hamlet are towards each
other. Of course, since they are being closely watched by Claudius and
Polonius, it can't possibly be how the two really are around each other.
If not Hamlet, Ophelia at least is in some way different. Hamlet also
seems to know that he is being watched or he wouldn't abruptly
change or try to hide his affections for Ophelia. This scene is when the
reader starts questioning whether or not Hamlet really is crazy and
whether he means what he says to Ophelia. It is most like that Hamlet
is acting crazy, given that a bit earlier in the play he announced he
was going to do so. To conclude that he went mad right after stating
that he would "act" so is hard. In this part of the play, although he
denies that he ever loved Ophelia, Hamlet's craziness (or even his
crazy act) makes the reader believe that he still loves her. His words of
denial are self-deteriorating to him, and they also hurt Ophelia.
Knowing this, Hamlet says them anyway, because of his paranoia that
everyone is working against him (which he is partly right about).
By far, the most important passage that proves Hamlet's love for
Ophelia is in act 5. At Ophelia's burial, Laertes and Hamlet argue about
who loved Ophelia more, and who is more hurt by her death. "I loved
Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of
love make up my sum", Hamlet says. Upon reading this, the reader is
struck again with the fact that Hamlet loves her. Hamlet must've never
stopped loving her, but only feigned that he didn't for the purpose of
tricking those around him. Hamlet grieves for Ophelia the way he
grieved for his father, whom he loved dearly. The same method of
grieving suggests that he loved Ophelia with all his might, and that his
denial of love for her had an underlying reason.
In his ploy to make those around him believe that he was mad, Hamlet
sacrificed his love for Ophelia, and hurt her when he didn't want to. His
true feelings shone through his letters and after her death. The times
when they both encountered each other, he knew that the eyes of the
king were watching him, so in an effort to cover his true intentions (ie.
proving that the king was guilty for his father's death), Hamlet
disguised his feelings for Ophelia. Hamlet never stopped loving
Ophelia, but the circumstances surrounding their relationship caused it
to be ended in an unfavorable manner.