To love, or not to Love
That is the question Harcourt Shakespeare wrote the tragedy of Hamlet to show many of the complexities of human nature. Many of them are themes, one of which was of love. Was there any true love in Shakespeare’s play or was it all lust? Did Hamlet ever love Ophelia or did he only use her for his own personal gain? Hamlet truly loved Ophelia but when he found out about his father’s murder then it becomes apparent that his love is not as important to him as his need for revenge on Claudius. The other possibility is that Hamlet didn’t love her at first but over the course of the play, he truly fell in love with her. Even though Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia, it is prominently shown that Hamlet never stops loving her.
The first time Hamlet's love for Ophelia is shown to the reader happens to be by Ophelia, “He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders of his affection to me.”(pg. 43 line 100) Hamlet has demonstrated his love to Ophelia. She claims that Hamlet has established that he loves her "with almost all the holy vows of heaven." (pg.45 line 115) Ophelia's says in the fist act that he does love her; this line is significant when looking at the whole play because they allow the understanding of Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia. Her proclamation shows that Hamlet has told her that he loves and shows that they both truly love each other. Throughout the play of Hamlet we see prince Hamlet using Ophelia in order to trick Claudius into thinking that he is mad with love for her. But in act 3, scene 1, line 90-91, Hamlet says, “The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons. Be all my sins remember’d”. Hamlet's soliloquy is interrupted by Ophelia who is praying. Hamlet asks Ophelia to pray for him.
Hamlet did love Ophelia, he just didn’t realise it until it was too late. Hamlet was blinding himself and did his best to turn his heart to stone, but when he lost her, then he realised that he truly did love her. Hamlet and Horatio happen to be