Did Hamlet truly love Ophelia?

The play, The Tragedy of Hamlet The Prince of Denmark, follows the story of Hamlet soon after his father’s murder. Hamlet learns that Claudius, his stepfather and uncle, poisoned his brother and his father desires his death to be avenged. Claudius spies on Hamlet after discovering Hamlet has discovered the truth of his father’s death by using Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Polonius, and Polonius’s daughter Ophelia to reveal his correct feelings. Soon after Hamlet discovers this, he decides to act mad to undermine Claudius. He even acts insane about his lover Ophelia, who is described as being “…a cult figure embodying their personal turbulent hopes,” (Romanska 485). This begs the question of regardless of whether Hamlet truly loved Ophelia because if he actually loved her, he would nevertheless act like a gentleman rather than a madman. By the way he acted around Ophelia when he was alone with her, he showed that his feelings for her have been correct. Hamlet’s actions all through the play show that he was really in adore with Ophelia. The audience can see that Hamlet actually did adore Ophelia when he told her, “I did really like you” (Shakespeare III 125).

In this scene, Hamlet confesses that he loved her, but then goes on to say that he never loved her. This could be due to the reality that Hamlet knew his conversation with Ophelia was being watched which explains the confusion on whether he loved her or not. Additionally, in the really like letter he wrote for her, Hamlet wrote “never doubt I love” (Shakespeare II 127). He tells her that amongst every little thing else around her that could not be true, his adore for her is real. This is the 1 time before Ophelia’s death that Hamlet reveals his correct feelings. This could be due to the fact that, when Ophelia received the letter, she gave it to her father. Hamlet did not trust Polonius, and from that moment on, Hamlet knew he had to hide his really like for Ophelia and act mad to shield her. All through the whole play, Hamlet’s really like for Ophelia is questioned like when Laertes mentioned “Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting.” (Shakespeare I 7-8).

What Hamlet is actually carrying out is attempting to throw off the other characters and make it appear like he did not really like Ophelia, even although he truly does. Hamlet did not want Ophelia to grow to be involved in case Claudius decided to get revenge on Hamlet. Hamlet shows his love for Ophelia when he confesses to her that he loves her, when he tells her to go to a nunnery to protect her, when he sends her the letter, and when he finds out that she has died. Even though several could argue that Hamlet by no means loved Ophelia, he was just trying to throw the spies in a different path but certainly did enjoy her.