In 3.1 of Hamlet, Hamlet struggles with his complicated feelings towards Ophelia; he feels she has betrayed him and will only continue falling into corruption. Hamlet reveals these feelings through his conversation with Ophelia during this scene; he speaks to her in a witty but bitter tone (Pattern 1).
Hamlet makes it very apparent in his denial of caring for Ophelia that he feels she has betrayed him. At a first glance, Hamlet seems to simply deny the existence of his relationship with Ophelia. However, a closer look reveals that his words have a deeper meaning. Hamlet feels that Ophelia has changed and he does not care for the new Ophelia. He cared for the old Ophelia. Therefore, when he says “I never gave you aught” when Ophelia has come to return his things, Hamlet means he gave them to the old Ophelia, not this new one (1.3.96). Later in the conversation, Hamlet suggests to Ophelia that he never loved her. Ophelia says Hamlet made her …show more content…
After questioning if she is “honest” and “fair”, bringing her corruptness to light, Hamlet tells Ophelia “that if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty”(1.3.104–108). By this, he has a very complicated meaning. Hamlet's use of the word “honest” refers to the truthfulness of Ophelia (1.3.107). His use of the words “fair” and “beauty” refer to her outward appearance (1.3. 107–108). He says these two things should never intertwine because beauty will corrupt truth. This is revealed more when he says “for the power of beauty will transform honesty” (1.3.110). By saying this, Hamlet refers to his own love for Ophelia. He suggests that her beauty corrupted his own truth by making him believe he loved her. He almost seems to be warning her that her beauty is powerful enough to make men untruthfully say they love her, possibly in the hope that she’ll turn her life
Hamlet makes it very apparent in his denial of caring for Ophelia that he feels she has betrayed him. At a first glance, Hamlet seems to simply deny the existence of his relationship with Ophelia. However, a closer look reveals that his words have a deeper meaning. Hamlet feels that Ophelia has changed and he does not care for the new Ophelia. He cared for the old Ophelia. Therefore, when he says “I never gave you aught” when Ophelia has come to return his things, Hamlet means he gave them to the old Ophelia, not this new one (1.3.96). Later in the conversation, Hamlet suggests to Ophelia that he never loved her. Ophelia says Hamlet made her …show more content…
After questioning if she is “honest” and “fair”, bringing her corruptness to light, Hamlet tells Ophelia “that if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty”(1.3.104–108). By this, he has a very complicated meaning. Hamlet's use of the word “honest” refers to the truthfulness of Ophelia (1.3.107). His use of the words “fair” and “beauty” refer to her outward appearance (1.3. 107–108). He says these two things should never intertwine because beauty will corrupt truth. This is revealed more when he says “for the power of beauty will transform honesty” (1.3.110). By saying this, Hamlet refers to his own love for Ophelia. He suggests that her beauty corrupted his own truth by making him believe he loved her. He almost seems to be warning her that her beauty is powerful enough to make men untruthfully say they love her, possibly in the hope that she’ll turn her life