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Hamlet and Ophelia were absolute *not* lovers. Such a concept would
work against the tension and tragedy that Shakespeare tries to create in
the play.Ophelia needs to be shown as purely as possible. Why? One of the reasons:
In order to stand out as a stark contrast to Hamlet's mother.This makes Hamlet's rejection of her in the nunnery scene even more
tragic. He finds a woman who possesses the purity he values and
wants and then casts her away from him. Refer to his speeches about
honesty with Polonius and R & G. Refer also to the passages which
illustrate his misogyny toward women based on the behavior of his
mother. Although he himself isn't honest, he demands nothing but
the utmost purity from everyone else. So, too, he demands it from
Ophelia. The difference here is that she gives it to him. Too blind
to see it, however, he spurns her and pushes her aside.What "Hamlet" said in a previous response is also crucial. Even
Ophelia has been drawn into the madness. Other than Horatio, Hamlet
has absolutely no one left to trust.When Ophelia goes mad, some scholars choose to interpret the song
which she sings, about a woman being betrayed by her lover who,
once she sleeps with him won't marry her, as evidence enough for a
sexual affair. However, it was a popular song of the time.
Shakespeare's audience would have been familiar with it. It
wouldn't be surprising if Ophelia was, too. Most likely, she was,
at this point, simply regurgitating all of the warnings that
Laertes and Polonius gave her. I don't think that Shakespeare means
it to directly parallel her relationship with Hamlet. At best, it
voices her heartache that Hamlet had turned on her so suddenly and
that they hadn't married. I don't think, as Brannagh portrays in
his new film version, that she's lamenting the loss of her
virginity to Hamlet in this scene. (In Brannagh's screenplay for
the film, he says that the only reason he made Hamlet and Ophelia
lovers was to make the relationship appear as serious as possible.
This was Brannagh's own sensibility as a 20th century director
catering to a 20th century audience. He figured that sex equalled
gravity. Shakespeare would not have been thinking the same way.)
Posted by Nicole on March 25, 1997 at 22:17:36
In Reply to "Hamlet & Ophelia as lovers?" posted by Starri on March 24, 1997 at 11:40:28
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help