Hamlet | Teen Ink

Hamlet

May 5, 2008
By Anonymous

Love is a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection for another. It can also be a painful game part of life. Some say that it is the best feeling in the world. In the play, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet, the protagonist, is madly in love with Ophelia. Although he may have offended her, Hamlet did this because he loves Ophelia. Despite the horrible actions in which Hamlet had committed, Hamlet truly loves Ophelia.

In the beginning of the play, Hamlet is demanded by a ghost to kill the current king, Claudius. Knowing that it is a sin and it’s horrible to commit a murder, Hamlet has to do something about Ophelia, making sure she is not part of his plan to murder the king. The murder of the king is such a huge responsibility that Hamlet may not be strong enough to handle all these responsibilities. Marriage is another big responsibility and it is important for Hamlet to be able handle such big responsibility. In the play, Hamlet says “No, not I. I never gave you aught” (III, 1,105) shows that Hamlet rejected her in order to make her hate him. This is done in order for Ophelia to cut all ties with Hamlet so he can commit his murder without hurting her. Later in the play, Hamlet kills Ophelia’s father. Hamlet insulted her in the beginning of the play in order to make them split apart showing no alliance in his plans. Hamlet knows that this would hurt the woman he love however it is a goal in which he must accomplish if he were to kill Claudius. He feels that he must leave Ophelia to complete his mission. He wanted Ophelia to hate him therefore when he hurts her, it wouldn’t hurt as much as it would if he had married her. Although it may seem easy for him to do, it maybe perhaps the hardest thing he had done.

At the end of the play, Ophelia is dead and there is a funeral for her in which Hamlet happened to be around. After realizing the funeral was for Ophelia, Hamlet walks out and declares his love for her. This is an important passage because it truly proves his love for her. In the play, Hamlet says “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum” (V,1,285) shows that Hamlet is madly in love with Ophelia. Hamlet had never stopped loving Ophelia. Forty thousand men is a lot of love and that’s a pretty strong way to express his love for her. Hamlet loved her with all his heart and when he broke her heart by saying that he never loved her, it was a complete lie.

Hamlet hid his emotions and his love from others to keep him isolated from others, thus making others believe he is mad. This is done in order for him to complete his mission. When he finds Ophelia dead, Hamlet confesses his love and Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, doesn’t believe him because he hurt her by telling her that he doesn’t love her. Laertes believed that Hamlet is lying and it might’ve seemed like an insult. Everything that Hamlet had done was because he loves Ophelia. If he didn’t love Ophelia, he would complete his mission regardless of how Ophelia feels about the mission. Hamlet obviously took in consideration of Ophelia’s feelings before acting the way he had.


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