Is It True Love?

We have been reading Hamlet for a while now, and the same question keeps being asked; does Hamlet truly love Ophelia, or was he just using her for her body or to help him appear crazy. I believe that he truly did love Ophelia, and although many things have appeared in their relationship, he still cares for her and she still cares for him.

During the famous nunnery scene with Hamlet and Ophelia, Hamlet exclaims “I did love you once” (3.1.125). Although this is can be taken very literal, there is also an underlying sign that Hamlet shows. He was hurt when Ophelia told him about the remembrances. If the reader takes the play and thinks that Hamlet knows what’s going on, then he understands that Ophelia is plotting against him. He knows that she is blatantly lying in front of his face. This is why many people believe that Hamlet no longer loves Ophelia, but this just shows how deeply in love he was and still is. He was so disappointed and angry when he found out that his love was plotting against him; if he didn’t love her, he wouldn’t have been so angry and so upset.

Another way that someone brought up in class is that Hamlet tells Ophelia “Get thee to a/ nunnery” (3.1.148-149), he is trying to protect her. He understands that Polonius and Claudius are watching behind closed doors, and he might be trying to warn Ophelia of the dangers that are surrounding her. If she gets to a nunnery, she can be safe from the physical aspects of living in this palace. She wouldn’t have to deal with the labors such as her father and Claudius plotting. Hamlet might also be protecting her from men in general. He knows the dangers that men can put on woman, both he and her father are examples of this, and he wants to protect her from the hardships that surround her. Getting her to a nunnery would protect her, and this is an obvious showing of how much he cares for her.

Many people believe that Hamlet no longer loves Ophelia because of the way he treated her before the play that was being presented. He accused her of the same things that her father did earlier; being a prostitute, and selling her body to an assortment of men. But this can be interpreted as his hurt. When his true love stopped all connection to him and then appeared before him lying and deceiving, anyone would be affected. Although it is not polite or decent, few people handle this situation valiantly. Hamlet is an example of this, and once he has cooled down I suspect that apologies will be made on both sides and all reason will persevere.