Describe Opheliaand her desires in Hamlet. Robert Levine from Brookline, Massachusetts on March 09, 2015: In your first section, you refer to Robert Burton, the author of "The Anatomy of Melancholy," as Richard Burton. 1. The Relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia Notes / Words: 803 / January 24, 2020 Shakespeare's Hamlet is by all means a troubled young man. His diseased insistence upon the girls womanhood echoes his own obsession with chastity and perversion. Describe the different KING CLAUDIUS: At supper! Hamlets madness cannot be separated from the idea of love, which is one of the main causes of this ailment, according to scholars of that time. been chosen as king over Hamlet? Hamlet's antic disposition can be a case of humoral imbalance. In the famous scene with Ophelia, Hamlets feigned madness is but a step away from the real thing. Are there still more things than are dreamt It appears that Ophelia herself is not as important as . (1.3.105-106, 116-117, 120-121). Ophelia much prefers who Hamlet used to be, not who he's become. of in todays philosophy? (3.1.123-128). It's certainly true that Hamlet's mood and behavior are erratic. As Burton states, melancholy fits continue not, but come and go (Schoenfeldt 25). According to Erasmus, all men of genius are fools, but wisdom does not signify happiness. Compare the relationship of Polonius and his children Laertes and Ophilia. He enjoys mocking the hypocrisy of those whom he used to trust (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) or whose position in society demands his respect, such as Polonius. His father's ghost tells him that he was murdered by Claudius, which drives Hamlet to want to seek revenge. My lord, he hath importuned me with loveIn honourable fashion. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Framing Ophelia: Representation and the Pictorial Tradition, Grinning Death's-Head: Hamlet and the Vision of the Grotesque, Mourning and Misogyny: Hamlet, The Revenger's Tragedy, and the Final Progress of Elizabeth I, 1600-1607, Nobler in the Mind: The Dialect in Hamlet, The 'Heart of My Mystery': Hamlet and Secrets, The First Quarto of Hamlet: Reforming Widow Gertred. The audience is told very little about Hamlet and Ophelia's relationship prior to the events of the play other than at some time in the past, Hamlet sent a series of love letters to Ophelia, and perhaps he said, or strongly implied, that he loves her. Accessed 9 July 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Hamlet's Vision - a painting by Pedro Amrico, Google Art Project, [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Throughout the play, Ophelia describes Hamlet indirectly, through his behavior. Later in the same scene, after Hamlet abandons her, Ophelia gives a description of Hamlet that seems idealized, but her description is tempered with the reality of the moment, and she's dismayed about his transformation. In Shakespeares days, love was regarded as a sickness itself, having similar symptoms to melancholy. In his encounter with Ophelia, he is fearfull and trembling, and he is pale, his knees knocking each other (Hamlet 2.1.80). Ophelia describes Hamlet as going mad . What are they? Act 2, Scene 1, lines 72 108 (Four parts: Polonius, Ophelia, and two mimes to How does Hamlet react to the ghost's speech? It would have been risky for Shakespeare directly to portray pre-marital sex between aristocratic characters, but Hamlet gives us reasons to suspect that at some point before the beginning of the play, Hamlet and Ophelia have had sex.Laertes and Polonius both warn Ophelia against having sex with Hamlet, which suggests that Ophelia's father and brother, at least, are concerned about the . Hamlet soon renounces his suicidal thoughts and embarks once again on his vengeance quest. On the one hand, all grand accomplishments depend upon Folly. Shakespeare's Hamlet transcends time and generations as it illuminates universal themes, with love and revenge being among the prominent ones. The sarcastic pleasure he takes in pretending to be out of his mind is attached to the hope of restoring Denmarks old prestige by avenging his father. Is Hamlet surprised to learn who murdered his father? "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio / Than are dreamt Hamlet says that his depressed behavior is the reason they have been summoned, admitting that nothing delights him anymore. 85, 86). Describe Hamlet's behavior with Polonius, and compare it with Hamlets OPHELIA. 1. (The King of Denmark is elected to the throne by the What's the meaning of this quote from Hamlet: "We're oft to blame and this is just too much proved that with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar o'er the Devil himself"? Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern). Therefore, his actions may be regarded as foolish. Latest answer posted December 18, 2020 at 11:36:35 AM. What is the function of "fish" and "king" here? What does Claudius learn about Norway when the Ambassadors he sent at the beginning of the play return? Money and written notes. Ophelia (/ f i l i /) is a character in William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet (1599-1601). Teodora Gheorghe (author) on March 05, 2015: Yes, before the advent of modern science people had many superstitions and odd beliefs Take two mummies and call me in the morning. Shakespeare intensifies the plot by grabbing her by the wrist and unbuttoning the stockings. Nicole, W D. "Robert Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy.". After discussing Hamlet with Polonius in Act 1, how has Ophelia interacted with Hamlet? Along with Queen Gertrude, Ophelia is one of only two female characters in . Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Hamlet does not sleep well; the watchfulness consumes him. Polonius uses Ophelia to try to determine what the cause of Hamlet's madness is (although Polonius, arrogantly, already assumes he knows that Hamlet is 'mad for [her] love'). indifference?). (3.1.101-108). In Shakespeare's time, love was considered a sickness. show the actions described). Therefore, Horatios thoughts can be regarded as an argument in favor of the humoral imbalance. OPHELIA. Last modified: He is afraid of everything suspicious, solitaire (Holland, Hamlet-A Humoral Diagnosis). He hath, my lord, of late made many tendersOf his affection to me. Extended Character Analysis Ophelia is Polonius's daughter, Laertes's sister, and Hamlet's former love-interest. You should not have believed me; Iloved you not. Credit to Wellcome Library, London, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. and more. Hamlets quest has the purpose of avenging his fathers death and restoring the thrones honor. Of all the pivotal characters in Hamlet, Ophelia is the most static and one-dimensional. Seneca's Tragedies and the Elizabethan Drama. Latest answer posted November 19, 2020 at 1:33:52 PM. HAMLET. 2. How does Claudius react to Ophelia?, Describe Laertes' response to his father's death. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. "How does Ophelia describe Hamlet?" Dolly Doyle | Certified Educator Share Cite Hamlet treats Polonius with contempt because Polonius is a sycophant and a meddler. OPHELIA. The French essayist Montaigne observed that The force of extreme sadness inevitably stuns the whole of our soul, impeding her freedom of action. It may thus be said that the prince, shocked by his fathers murder and his mothers betrayal, finds himself paralyzed, unable to act upon his desires. Now write a sentence describing what each section does. Ophelia describes Hamlet's behavior and appearance to Polonius in act 2of Hamlet in a manner that is synonymous with the early modern stereotype of the man driven mad by unrequited love.. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Hamlets subtleties cannot be grasped, not even by cultivated Polonius, because he lacks the princes geniality. At the end of the "play-within-a-play, Ophelia leaves the stage with everyone else, leaving Hamlet behind, and Ophelia and Hamlet don't see each other or speak to each other for the rest of the play. Is Hamlet aware of Ophelia's Hamlet doesn't witness Ophelia's descent into madness, and Ophelia doesn't hear Hamlet proclaim his love for her when he leaps into her grave. W.D. Is Hamlet surprised to learn who murdered his father? Other times his speech is chaotic and resembles the ramblings of a madman: I humbly thank you well, well, well (Hamlet 3.1.92). In act 3, scene 2, Ophelia and Hamlet sit with each other and have a somewhat sexually suggestive exchange of words prior to and during the "play-within-a-play," but they have no other interactions. She has the potential to become a tragic heroine -- to overcome the adversities inflicted upon her -- but she instead crumbles into insanity, becoming merely tragic. What does the ghost tell Hamlet, and command him to do? Hamlet is a loner who spends most of his time pondering on the meaning of life. The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and the protagonist. Describe how Ophelia is portrayed in different Hamlet films. HAMLET: At supper. Describe his relationship with her. After hearing Ophelia describe Hamlet's behavior in Act 2, Scene 1, Polonius believesHamlet has gone crazy out of love for Ophelia and he decides to tell the king about it. I will correct my mistake. Nicol quotes Burtons definition of the affliction: a kind of dotage without a fever, having for its ordinary companions fear and sadness, without any apparent occasion (Nicol 199). Yet Hamlet "renounces his suicidal thoughts" not because of a sudden disappearance of his melancholic mood but because of one of the hallmarks of melancholy, fear--of hell. Line 119: Why does Hamlet tell Ophelia to "Get thee to a nunnery?" He keeps going, too. The young man rails against the follies of his time. Before the advent of the whole of modern science there were notions like sympathetic magic and humors and such. Robert Burton, English scholar and vicar, may have regarded Hamlets lunacy as being caused by melancholy (called 'melancholia'). He hides his satisfaction in a clever display of witty words. However, Hamlet is not a fool, but merely playing the fool. My lord, I have remembrances of yoursThat I have longed long to redeliver.I pray you, now receive them. behavior with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. It appears that Ophelia herself is not as important as . Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. of in your philosophy" (lines 166, 167). (3.1.160-170). Lines 56, 57: What does Gertrude believe to be the cause of Hamlet's Ends with Polonius: That hath made him mad. "Overview of Erasmus' "The Praise of Folly"". behavior? ", Latest answer posted December 25, 2020 at 10:45:45 AM. In Erasmuss philosophy, the most appropriate term used to describe madness is folly, which actually encompasses madness. What does the ghost tell Hamlet, and command him to do? Forty thousand brothersCould not, with all their quantity of love,Make up my sum. Read our modern English translation of this scene. The courtier informs Gertrude that Ophelia insists on meeting her. Maybe the most extensive documentation on this subject is the Anatomy of Melancholy written in 1621 by Robert Burton. B.A. On the other hand, while undertaking this mission, Hamlet defies moral and social norms. Throughout the play, Ophelia is described as sweet and chaste, the ideal. Hamlet is using Ophelia; he wants King Claudius to start being nervous about him, and he knows that if he acts weird to his girlfriend, Ophelia, she will tell her father, Polonius. What does he decide to do next? Lie about him if that helps bring out the truth. (5.1.270-272). Claudius and Gertrude are so afraid of him, that they send a messenger to talk to him instead of discussing the matter face to face. Latest answer posted April 19, 2021 at 5:58:21 PM. In a description of the melancholic behavior, we can almost recognize the portrait of Hamlet: he is dull, heavy, lazy, restless, unapt to go about any business (see Anatomy of Melancholy). [Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Lords] Claudius And can you by no drift of circumstance Get from him why he puts on this confusion, Grating so harshly all his days of quiet With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
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