Essay on the Manipulation of Polonius and Ophelia in Hamlet

The Manipulation of Polonius and Ophelia in juncture The main plot of Shakespeares Hamlet centers around Prince Hamlets desire to repay King Claudius for his evil deeds. Around this rudimentary action revolve the stories concerning the minor characters of Polonius and Ophelia. Though they do non propel Hamlets actions towards the King, these characters act as forces upon Hamlet himself, trying to spur him to do things he does not want to do. Both Polonius and Ophelia try, unsuccessfully, to manipulate Hamlet into a purport of inferiority. In the first scene of Act II, Polonius and Ophelia discuss the meaning of Hamlets eccentric behavior. Though the two characters agree his actions arise protrude of the torment of freeze off love, they arrive at that point through very different means. At the beginning of the dialogue, Ophelia says that she has been affrighted by Hamlet in her bed chamber. (II,i 75) Her encounter with the Prince left(a) her scared about his real intentio ns. She says that he looks like he has been,loosed out of hell/To plow of horrors. (II,i 83-4) The very fact that Hamlet does not speak one word to Ophelia makes him look even more intimidating. By not speaking anything, Hamlet at once strengthens his image as a madman, as well as shrouding his real intentions towards those around him. Just following this passage comes a place in the text where we can mark how the character of Ophelia has been manipulated by Polonius. After his hint that he might be doing this out of frustrated love, Ophelia says that that is what she truly does fear. (87) Her feelings of pity and concern are cause by her father in order to fit his case of hallucination against Hamlet. To further strengthen this situation, Polonius... ...f the situation before he enters it, while Polonius and Ophelia essential try to understand events as, or after they happen. Works Cited Bradley, A.C. Shakespeares Tragic Period--Hamlet. Shakespearian Tragedy Lectures on Ham let, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Toronto MacMillan, 1967. 79-174. Campbell, Lily B. Collected Papers Of Lily Campbell. NY Russell, 1968. Lidz, Theodore. Hamlets Enemy monomania and Myth in Hamlet. Vision Press, 1975. MacKenzie, Agnes Mure. The Women in Shakespeares Plays. London William Heinemann Ltd., 1924. Northrop, Frye. Hamlet. Northrop Frye on Shakespeare. Ed. Robert Sandler. revolutionary Haven Yale University Press, 1986. 82-100. Oakes, Elizabeth. Polonius, the Man behind the Arras A Jungian Study. stark naked Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. NY AMS Press, 1994. 103-112.