I can’t think of anyone similar to the characters in Act 3.
But the situation of Ophelia is definitely familiar to every girl who ever been
in a relationship. It’s funny to find a regular situation between girls and
boys in a play about revenge. Ophelia loves Hamlet. But she is hurt because
Hamlet suddenly changed. She’s lucky that Hamlet is only faking. In real life,
we girls never understand why he changed for no reason?!
Ok, back to the play analysis. The queen is surely a major
character in this act. She surely did win all the things—a new husband and her
loving son. But I don’t think she planned for this, neither does the old
Hamlet. The ghost showed up and told Hamlet to comfort his mother. From the
talking between the queen and Hamlet, I think she did struggle for the marriage
with Claudius. She is shamed of the words Hamlet said. She is just a woman who
doesn’t think enough.
This act pulls out the subject of guilt. The play Hamlet
arranged to test the reaction of Claudius makes Claudius feeling guilty. “Oh,
my offence is rank. It smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t
a brother’s murder.” He is looking forward forgiveness from god. On the other
hand, the queens tried to talk to her son and persuade him stop making Claudius
mad. On the contrary, Hamlet makes Gertrude understand that her betrayal to old
Hamlet hurts Hamlet. She is guilty too.
I could not agree more with your initial reaction about the relationship between girls and boys. I feel really bad for Ophelia, and I think every girl does when they read Hamlet. Ophelia is innocent, a beautiful innocent girl. She pretty much got caught up in Hamlet's problems. I could tell Ophelia loved Hamlet and Hamlet loved her back. She was there for him but Hamlet was a total jerk and pushed her away. Ophelia didn't do anything to him. Seeing Hamlet go down the drain and her father dead causes her insanity.
ReplyDeleteGertrude annoyed me. She cared about Hamlet which I respect but she still betrayed her family for marrying her brother-in-law. I guess she's in love with him but that's just like cheating and she didn't even consider how Hamlet would feel if they got married. Especially when it was right after her husband's death. Gertrude's character is irritating and she is just as devious as the rest of the characters in the story.