n is a place where women give birth, and since the reader does not know how close their relationship is, it is probable that Hamlet knows that Ophelia is pregnant. The third implication is that Hamlet is casting her away to a whorehouse, because, looking at his mothers actions and how she remarried a month after her husbands death, he thinks that all women are so unfaithful. The most probable explanation, though, is that at the end of his famous soliloquy, Hamlet asks forgiveness of Ophelia for what he is about to do, for he knows that someone is spying on them, and so when he says that he does not love her, it is only a charade to confuse the spies behind the curtain.The theme of reality vs. pretense is also evident in the play, and it revolves around the major theme of love. Hamlet is pretending to be crazy, and the other characters relate his madness to his love for Ophelia. For example, in his conversation with Polonius, Polonius says asides about Hamlet, still harping on my daughter (2.2.187), believing that Ophelia is the cause of his madness. At the end of their conversation, Hamlet says, These tedious old fools! (2.2.222), referring to Polonius, indicating that Hamlet was not telling him the truth. While Hamlet is using his love for Ophelia in order to seem crazy, Ophelia really becomes, importunate, indeed distract (4.5.2). Hamlet does not seem to realize how much he loves Ophelia until she is dead and he loses her. Only then does he say, I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers/ Could not, with all their quantity of love, / make up my sum (5.1.282-284). Hamlet says this after jumping into her grave, revealing his hiding place. At this time, Hamlet vows to do anything for Ophelia, but as always, his actions come too late. At first, Ophelia believes that Hamlet is in love with her, as she says to her father, he [Hamlet] hath importuned me with love/ In honorable fashion (1.3.110-111). Then, as Hamlet seems to go mad,...
