Hamlet Group
Question:
davidarchule...
Student
High School - 12th Grade
If Hamlet confessed that he does not love Ophelia once, then why does he talk to her during the play and seem like he is flirting with her?
Answers:
-
nickklein13 Student
High School - 12th GradePosted by nickklein13 on Thursday May 15, 2008 at 11:47 AM
-
pyt972 Student
High School - 12th GradePosted by pyt972 on Thursday May 15, 2008 at 11:49 AMwell....he told her he did not love her because he was crazy with the thoughts of his fathers death and the fact that Claudius could of possibly killed his father. He was only yelling at her in rage. He still loves her deep down in his heart!!
-
gbeatty Teacher
College - FreshmanPosted by gbeatty on Thursday May 15, 2008 at 11:56 AMBest answer as selected by question asker.
Remember that Hamlet is putting on a false front for the court after he takes up the burden of seeking his father's killer. Anything he says to another person—or when someone else might be watching—should be read as part of that false front. In this case, Hamlet tells Ophelia the following: "You should not have believ'd me; for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: I loved you
not."He's saying he didn't love her…but this is to confuse the situation, to distance her, and to hurt her like he's been hurt, by spreading the betrayal. (She is sent to spy on him, after all.)