Essay on the Manipulation of Polonius and Ophelia in Hamlet

The Manipulation of Polonius and Ophelia in Hamlet The main plot of Shakespeares Hamlet centers around Prince Hamlets desire to hark back King Claudius for his evil deeds. Around this central action revolve the stories concerning the minor characters of Polonius and Ophelia. Though they do not motivate Hamlets actions towards the King, these characters act as forces upon Hamlet himself, toilsome to spur him to do things he does not want to do. Both Polonius and Ophelia try, unsuccessfully, to manipulate Hamlet into a place of inferiority. In the first scene of Act II, Polonius and Ophelia controvert the meaning of Hamlets odd behavior. Though the two characters agree his actions arise verboten of the torment of spurned love, they arrive at that point through very diametric 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 her scared about his real intentions. She says that he looks like he has been,loosed out of hell/To speak 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 language 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 see 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 real does fear. (87) Her feelings of pity and concern are shaped by her father in order to fit his case of madness against Hamlet. To further strengthen this situation, Polonius... ...f the situation in the first place he enters it, while Polonius and Ophelia must try to understand events as, or after they happen. Works Cited Bradley, A.C. Shakespeares Tragic Period--Hamlet. Shakespearean Tragedy Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Toronto MacMillan, 1967. 79-174. Campbell, Lily B. Collected cover Of Lily Campbell. NY Russell, 1968. Lidz, Theodore. Hamlets Enemy Madness 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. New Haven Yale University Press, 1986. 82-100. Oakes, Elizabeth. Polonius, the Man behind the Arras A Jungian Study. New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. NY AMS Press, 1994. 103-112.