Loving relationships are built up and destroyed when you have to make a choice. In the book Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, a side character, Ophelia, has to make a choice between her love of Hamlet and her loyalty to her father and brother. In this quote we can see that Hamlet did love Ophelia and never wanted anything dreadful to happen to her: "Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love." (2.2. 116-19). The choice that Ophelia made was to choose her brother and father who just want to protect her instead of the person that loves her. This blog is about loving relationships and I imagine it was not an easy choice to make, but I assume it was the right one at the time. At the beginning of the story Hamlet seemed like an ordinary ‘emo’ kid that just loved Ophelia. But when his true identity is revealed, he is a cold hearted monster that will stop at nothing for revenge of his father’s death. Ophelia leaned on her father for support when she lost a loving relationship with her and Hamlet, and she fell over the brink when her father died. It doesn’t actually matter if she jumped or she slipped, but what matters is that she didn’t try to escape. This reminds me of season 8 of House M.D. when Dr. House is in a burning building and has to confront his personal demons to either escape, or die. In the end he escapes as everyone but his best friend thinks he is dead.
A father just wants the best for his daughter. This is a very noble act, but leads to both of their deaths. “Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers Not of that dye which their investments show, But mere implorators of unholy suits Breathing like sanctified and pious bawds The better to beguile. This is for all: I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth Have you so slander any moment leisure, As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet Look to ‘t, I charge you. Come your ways.” (1.3. 127-135)Polonius is a bona fide protective parent and Ophelia loves her father too much to leave him. This tells us of a strong bond. Polonius also sees Ophelia as immature when she says: “He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders Of his affection to me.” (1.3. 99-100)This, and Polonius’s not wanting to damage his family's reputation gives Polonius an excuse for Ophelia to stop seeing him. But in the end it all came down to who she had a better relationship with and she picked her father over Hamlet.
I'm glad you looked at the choice Ophelia must make between her family's expectations and her own feelings for Hamlet. The 12-sided die had a lot of people writing about this, but you are the first one to look heavily at that dynamic. You look at the true power of choice in that situation, even if it doesn't seem like you have one.
ReplyDeleteI like that you assume good intentions in Polonius' case. I mean, he is a meddling and sexist sycophant, but you're right that he has a refined sense of honor and tradition and is acting according to it.