Hamlet Polonius Speech Analysis

During the interaction based off realization you can see that Ophelia probably loved Hamlet but if it wasn’t for being under the supervision of her brother and father, she might have been able to influence Hamlet and this would lead to a change in the play. On the other hand, Hamlet accuses Ophelia of faithlessness, of whoring. He tells her to get her to a nunnery, a statement that implies that she is no better than a whore. This can be justified in Act 3, Scene 1 “Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?

His spontaneous decision to become Beatrice’s husband shows that Don Pedro is willing to change his entire lifestyle to accommodate to someone else’s desires and feels strongly about Beatrice. To Don Pedro’s dismay, Beatrice declines his proposal. Instead of reacting resentfully, Don Pedro responds with, “Your silence most offends me, and to be merry best becomes you, for out o' question you were born in a merry hour” (II, i, 280-283). Responding in a civil manner to her rejection shows that Don Pedro respects Beatrice and wants her to be happy even if that’s not with him. Reacting this way also shows Don Pedro’s sacrificial love.

Historically, a woman’s value has come from her marriage. This is reflected in Shakespeare’s work Hamlet, especially in Ophelia’s role. While Ophelia’s brother is encouraged to travel the world and interact by their father, Ophelia is told to keep her purity and stay away from men until a proper marriage can be arranged. This represents how Ophelia’s value is tied to her marriage and her virginity, rather than any other positive characteristic she may have, and reminds the audience that Ophelia holds little value, especially compared to her brother, who serves as her male counterpart. The audience further sees how Ophelia is only valued for her virginity and purity when Hamlet insults her shouting “Get thee to a nunnery” (page number here).

Hamlet realizes this and says "O, most wicked speed, to post/ with such dexterity to incestuous sheets!" (1.2.161-132). Hamlet has a problem with his mother's sexuality. It's not that he's disgusted by Gertrude's marriage to Claudius, but the fact that he can't stand to think she is having sex. Although it is quite clear that Gertrude is weak and reliant on Claudius to make her happy, she does not realize how much it has affected Hamlet.

[…] Blasted with ecstasy…” (3.1.151/162). As a result of this innocence and ignorance, Ophelia is easily manipulated by others for their own purposes. An example of this, is when her father, Polonius, sends Ophelia to have an “accidental meeting” with Hamlet in an attempt to understand his sudden change of character, “at such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him…” (2.2.160). Since Ophelia is often not in control of her choices and how she is allowed to interact with others, there is an element of dehumanization which surrounds her. Her father uses her as a tool to accomplish his tasks, and due to this treatment, Ophelia loses the ability to possess a unique identity of her own.

When polonius finds out about the little love fling they have going on it absolutely infuriates him causing him to band Ophelia from seeing prince Hamlet. As the obeying and loyal daughter ophelia is she obeys her father's wishes. “ Then weigh what loss your honor may sustain If with too credent ear you list his songs, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open To his unmastered importunity. Fear it, Ophelia. Fear it, my dear sister, And keep you in the rear of your affection, Out of the shot and danger of desire.

This quote is made before Ophelia was sent out to break up with Hamlet in order for Polonius and Claudius to spy on him. Gertrude is telling Ophelia that she hopes the root of Hamlet’s madness is the love for her, she means to say this because it would be easier than him being mentally insane. Her concern shows that she may actually be that Gertrude may not be as bad of a mother than she is perceived to be in the first few acts. There is a theme of moral corruption/contamination because Gertrude has no problem with Claudius and Polonius spying and tricking Hamlet, even though she doesn't have a say in the plan. It shows that she disregarded her own son This quote is made when Polonius talks about how many people use the power of faith and religion

In the passage, Act 3 Scene 4 lines 54-88, Shakespeare uses compare and contrast, repetition, and many rhetorical questions to express the feeling Hamlet has towards his mother. These devices help to give off a tone of anger and disbelief, with a dash of mockery. Shakespeare has Hamlet compare and contrast between the late king’s photo and the current king’s photo. The details used to explain his father is completely positive while when he explains his uncle’s photo the description is negative. Hamlet portrays his father to be have many characteristics of a God, “Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself,/ An eye like Mars to threaten and command,/ A station like the herald Mercury” (57-59) while his uncle, Polonius, is described, “like a mildewed ear” (65).

“She did deceive her father, marrying you, And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks, She loved them most.”(3,3,211-213) Iago talks down about Desdemona for not following her father’s commands. Therefore Iago uses that as a reason for Othello to not completely trust Desdemona. “Be as your fancies teach you. Whate'er you be, I am obedient.” (3,3,89) Desdemona accepts the fact that she is obedient to her husband. He can do whatever he wants without questions being asked.

One of the components that may have been the underlying reason for the inconvenience Ophelia wound up in toward the end of the play might be her magnificence. This is portrayed in III, I, 6-7 when Hamlet says, "/that on the off chance that you be straightforward and reasonable,/ought to concede no talk to your excellence." Her magnificence is the reason Hamlet first became hopelessly enamored with her, the reason her dad, Polonius, could control her emotions toward Hamlet. Her dad needed this control over her affection either for progression inside the court through picking up the support of the ruler, or, if one somehow happened to think all the more hopefully, maybe Polonius' objective was just to shield her from Hamlet who, he accepted,