Lost Hope

In class, we thoroughly speculated about the strange scene that occurred offstage between Ophelia and Hamlet and were not able to come to a definitive conclusion. For the most part, we agreed that this scene could most accurately be interpreted as an act of desperation on Hamlet's part, especially considering that Ophelia has been ignoring his attentions recently and that he has recently seen his father's ghost. The exchange between Ophelia and Hamlet in Act III does shed a bit more light on their relationship and Hamlet's current mindset, but unfortunately, Hamlet continues to use his wit to disguise his deeper thoughts and feelings.

Hamlet has become hardened by the many unfortunate events that have befallen him, and he is no longer in touch with the person he once was when his conditions were favorable. In the exchange between Hamlet and Ophelia in Act III, Hamlet does admit that he did love Ophelia, and Ophelia seems to have reciprocated this love, but it is clear that Hamlet is no longer capable of feeling any great emotions besides depression and anger. He seems to have completely lost his faith in the human race, as he tells Ophelia that it would be best that she goes to a nunnery rather than be a "breeder of sinners" (Act III, line 119). He has particularly lost hope in all women, shown when he says, "wise men know well enough what monsters you [women] make of them" (Act III, lines 132-133). His mother's betrayal has caused Hamlet to lose faith in love because the people who Hamlet has loved have hurt him the most.

Considering the circumstances, it makes sense that Hamlet feels that he can no longer trust anyone, particularly the women with whom he was in love. Hamlet is ashamed of his mother's ability to so easily and quickly forget his father and be seduced by his uncle, and the knowledge that his uncle - and possibly his mother - played a hand in his father's death is news from which very few people could recover. The people in whom he has placed so much trust have irreparably disappointed him. Since his mother's ties to his father have proven to be so tremendously fragile, Hamlet has only been exposed to a flawed romantic relationship and consequently, cannot see himself trusting very many people for fear of finding himself in a wretched downfall comparable to that of his father (405).