Hamlet's Attitude Towards Ophelia

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Hamlet is known for his madness and his indecisiveness. Another aspect of his character is how he treats other characters in peculiar ways, specifically the women in the play. Gertrude and Ophelia are the only female characters in the play, and their characters are formed by their interactions with Hamlet.

Gertrude and Hamlet have a relationship that leans toward sexual tension and Hamlet seems to be disappointed in his mother. Hamlet’s father and king has died before the play, and now Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, is now king and has married Gertrude. Hamlet is disgusted by Gertrude’s quick marriage to Claudius, he feels that Gertrude should have mourned longer. The quick marriage of Claudius and Gertrude seems suspicious, especially since Hamlet was next in line for the crown. . He says of Gertrude and her hasty marriage: “‘Tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely.that it should come thus,But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two!…Let me not think on’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!” (1.2.135-138, 146).

Even though Ophelia
He projects his feelings of Gertrude to the only other female character in the play, Ophelia. His mother’s sexuality has confused him so greatly, and cast him into great disdain towards Ophelia. When Hamlet says, go to nunnery quote, maybe he is really speaking to his mother. He is sickened by her relationship with his uncle, and wishes her to stay clean, to only be his father’s lover. At the same time, there is tension between Hamlet and Gertrude. There is more sexual tension in the play with Gertrude and Hamlet, than he has with Ophelia. Why would Hamlet seem to have more sexual attraction to his own mother before his romantic partner? Hamlet is in such a tumultuous situation, he cannot control all his emotions. The tension between Hamlet and his mother must have shifted to sexual

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