And They Lived Miserably Forever In Shakespeare's Hamlet, there are many sacrifices and obstacles that Hamlet must endure to satisfy his father's desire for revenge deceased. One of the sacrifices involves the end of his relationship with Ophelia. Many argue that Hamlet never loved Ophelia and claim that he is only using her for intimacy. However, it is clear that Hamlet and Ophelia love each other and giving up their relationship is no easy task. Because of the difficulty of ending their relationship, Hamlet is not honest about the challenges he faces in bringing justice to his father. Therefore, Ophelia can only believe that Hamlet never truly loved her and this leads her to high levels of anguish. Furthermore, Ophelia cannot escape the controlling behavior of her brother and father, who both disapprove of her relationship with Hamlet. Eventually, the obstacles become too many and tragedy takes over the happy ending. Despite their love, Hamlet and Ophelia face many obstacles that they cannot overcome. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Some argue that Hamlet never truly loved Ophelia, so it is not difficult for him to let her go; however, there is plenty of evidence to show that Hamlet's feelings for Ophelia are true and loving. Perhaps the most convincing evidence that Hamlet loves Ophelia is the letter he writes to her and which she is forced to share with the king and queen. In the letter Hamlet reminds Ophelia that he loves her, “better, oh, the best indeed/, believe it” (Shakespeare 2.2.120-121). This letter was supposed to be private, so Hamlet has no reason to lie. Therefore, his words are true as is his love for Ophelia. Hamlet admits his love again during the nunnery scene. As Hamlet tries to convince Ophelia that he does not love her, he breaks down for a brief moment and admits, “Once I loved thee” (Shakespeare 3.1.115-116). Some may see this as Hamlet trying to tell Ophelia that perhaps he loved her, but no longer does. However, it is more likely that Hamlet is trying to spare her feelings when he sees how hurt she is as he dismisses her. If Hamlet did not love Ophelia, he would have no obligation to spare her feelings; he wouldn't need to feel guilty for cheating on her. Finally, Hamlet's final expression of love comes after Ophelia's death during the gravedigger scene when he says, “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers/Could not with all their quantity of love/Complete my sum” (Shakespeare 5.1.249-251). This is the most definitive statement of Hamlet's love for Ophelia. Hamlet's admission of his overwhelming love for Ophelia shows that the reason Hamlet was not always able to express his love for her is because his focus had to be on revenge for his father and when Ophelia dies, Hamlet he realizes how great a sacrifice he has to make. Hamlet now realizes that even if he succeeds in getting his father's revenge, he will never be able to be with Ophelia. Love is a powerful motivator, but it's not always romantic. Hamlet loves Ophelia, but his love and devotion for his father is a little stronger. Hamlet realizes that he cannot commit to a relationship with Ophelia and commit to avenging his father's death. As Thomas Holcroft suggests in Carol J. Carlisle's essay, “Hamlet's “Cruelty” in the Nunnery Scene: The Actors' Views, “Hamlet, whose mind is absorbed by a supreme passion (grief for his father and the desire to avenge his death), he feels he must give up Ophelia to fulfill the vow he made to his father's spirit” (132). Because Hamlet's dedication toHis father's desires are so strong, he cannot commit to both a relationship with Ophelia and achieving justice for his father. Hamlet's mind is so absorbed in revenge and he knows he cannot explain it to Ophelia. Therefore, the only solution is to dismiss Ophelia thus ending As stated in Arthur Hudson's essay “Romantic Apologiae for Hamlet's Treatment of Ophelia” originally expressed by William Hazlitt, “it would take [Hamlet] years to arrive at a direct explanation on the point. In his tormented state of mind, he could not have done otherwise than he did.” Hamlet wants to spare Ophelia the drama and pain of his revenge plans, so despite how cruel it seems, he is coming from a loving place. After all, Hamlet knew that he could not change his mind about the revenge plot because he had made a clear promise to his father that justice would prevail. When the Ghost exits, Hamlet swears that his father's commandment "all alone shall live / Within the book and volume of my brain, / Unmixed with baser matter" (Shakespeare 1.5.102-104). Hamlet knows that there is no going back, so his promise to his father has become the biggest obstacle to Hamlet and Ophelia's relationship. However, he is not the only one. During the late 16th century, women were not seen as independent individuals with their own opinions; instead, they were controlled by the men in their lives and expected to comply with their demands. Ophelia's situation was no different than that of any other woman and she was molded to be obedient to the demands of her father and brother. “Motherless and completely circumscribed by the men around her, Ophelia has been shaped to conform to external demands, to reflect the desires of others” (Dane 1). First, Ophelia's brother Laertes tries to make her understand how insignificant her relationship with Hamlet is. He tells her that the relationship is “straight, not permanent, sweet, not lasting/, the scent and plea of ​​a minute/no more” (Shakespeare 1.3.6-8). Laertes may recognize Ophelia's feelings and even admit that they are real, but he wants to convince her that the relationship will not last. He tells her it's all flirting and temporary affection. Ophelia may want him to see the relationship her way, but Laertes is a man and has both influence and power over his actions. Likewise, Ophelia's father wants her to have no contact with Hamlet and to end her feelings altogether. Polonius commands her: “This is for all:/I would not, in clear terms, henceforth/Slander you so much in any spare moment/As to say words or speak to the Lord Hamlet” (Shakespeare 1.4.130-133 ). Polonius doesn't even ask Ophelia, he simply demands it. Polonius has authority over Ophelia not only because she is a woman, but also because she is his daughter. Therefore, Ophelia has no choice but to obey him as he will continue to watch over her. Some may think that Polonius does this only to protect Ophelia but, as David Leverenz notes, "Polonius cares more about his position at court than the well-being of his daughter, and uses his paternal authority to enhance his status as the king's advisor " (Qtd in Green 301). Polonius believes that if Hamlet and Ophelia were having an affair, it could threaten his position with the king, especially if she becomes pregnant. Therefore, he ignores her happiness and uses his influence over her to protect her reputation. With the amount of influence her brother and father have over her, Ophelia's obedience to the men in her life is yet another obstacle for Hamlet and Ophelia. No matter how much Hamlet and Ophelia want to be together, they simply cannot overcome the obstacles that keep them apart. Between Hamlet's betrayal and his father's murder,Ophelia's life ends in chaos and she turns to suicide as an escape. Every man in her life cheats on her and she goes crazy. After her father's death, Ophelia tries to move forward "but Polonius has carefully programmed into her psyche the fear of autonomy and sexuality, so that Ophelia is unable to navigate her way once the "protective custody “her father is unavailable to her” (Smith 97). Even though her father wasn't concerned about her happiness, Ophelia relies on his demands and his guardianship and without him there to guide her, Ophelia is lost and scared. He has no way to think for himself and the pain becomes so overwhelming that he prefers death to the pain of life. Along with the pain of her father's death, Ophelia has a completely broken view of love and trust. “Under the pressure of irresponsible paternal demands and because of larger political issues without her knowledge, Ophelia's faith in love and sincerity is crushed” (Smith 97). Ophelia was protected from the reality behind the cruelty of the men in her life. Some might think this would be a good thing since she would only be protected from pain and suffering. But when she loses her father's guidance and her faith in Hamlet, she is left totally lost and betrayed until she finds herself too far away to live anymore. No matter how much the men in her life care about her, they make a fatal mistake in hiding the reality from her because she is so sheltered that when all the pain and betrayal gets out to her, it's too much for her to handle. ignorance of reality is the final obstacle that tests the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia. No matter how much the men in her life want to protect her, they can't prepare her for what happens when everything falls apart. “Ophelia's suicide is a sad but believable response from her own weakened psyche. He invites us to reexamine the worsening psychological hell caused by the abuse and abandonment he suffered at the hands of those he loved most” (Smith 110). Even though it seems like the treatment by her male influences is out of protection, Barbara Smith explains that it is really hurtful and careless because she isn't respected enough to trust reality and when she found out, she wasn't equipped to deal with it. with it. Ophelia's madness is simply explained by the sudden lack of male influence in her life. Despite the modern view that women are strong individuals who do not need male influence, Ophelia lives in an age where she knows nothing other than to rely on the men in her life for guidance, listening to their rumors about how to behave. . “Then suddenly, with her brother in France and her lover exiled in England for the murder of her father, the voices stop. Faced with such thunderous silence, Ophelia goes mad” (Dane 3). Some may believe that this madness is the worst thing that could happen to her. Ophelia is no longer the beautiful and obedient woman that everyone knows. However, Dane suggests that “madness frees Ophelia from the forced repressions of obedience, chastity, patience, frees her from the prescribed roles of daughter, sister, lover, subject” (4). With no influences pouring in from every direction, Ophelia is left to be her authentic, raw self. However, because she doesn't know how to handle her true self, she feels overwhelmed and ultimately commits suicide to escape all the changes in her life. Hamlet and Ophelia truly loved each other but could not overcome the obstacles that threatened their happiness. Hamlet's devotion to his father surpasses his love for Ophelia and influences his decision to choose revenge over happiness with Ophelia. This was unbeknownst to Ophelia and her..