Saturday, August 31, 2013

Why did the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia break down?

In this drama, it is crystal that Hamlet loves Ophelia whereas she avoids declaring her love for him. She is caught up in different serious problems that inhibit her. Hamlet’s love is based on truth and frankness. Before the death of his father he was caught in her love. In his love letters he uses terms of affection. Ophelia discloses it to Laertes and Poloinus.


If we read her words, it seems that she has given her heart to Hamlet, though she may not declare herself, for she had sucked the honey of his vows. Later, her persoanl dejection created a huge reason not to declare her love. For Hamlet and Ophelia, love is changed by the cruel role of circumstance when Hamlet’s father dies and his mother marries his uncle, Claudius.


When the ghost reveals and discloses the truth, Hamlet feels hatred at this nature and transfers his feelings from his mother to all women and hates all women kind. Ophelia betrays Hamlet because Laertes and Polonius were worldly wise and poisoned her mind. Whenever Hamlet comes near to her, she remains silent and then discloses all to her father whatever happens.


Simultaneously Hamlet’s behaviour is very strange. He is depressed and abhors his tragic life, burdened by the choices he has to make: to be true to his religion or his father's culture; to be believe a ghost or to believe it is a demon sent to entrap him. The world to him was "weary, stale, flat and unprofitable."


They both are possessing weaknesses. By virtue of these, they can not join each other in love as happened in Romeo and Juliet. Their love casts strange effects on the audience.

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