tical Essays on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ewbank believes that “Polonius turned her into an object, an instrument, by ‘loosing’ her to Hamlet in the nunnery scene . . .” (75). Polonius thinks that Ophelia is an item that can be used whenever it is necessary. First Polonius did not want his daughter to see Hamlet; now he is letting her see him while he and Claudius spy on both of them. Ophelia’s feelings are hurt by Hamlet’s remarks because Polonius made her meet with him unwillingly. When Hamlet encounters Ophelia, he said he love her at one time and told her to go a nunnery. Hamlet also states, “If thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them” (3.1.132-133). Hamlet no longer loves Ophelia and his harsh words hurt her emotionally. Ophelia believes she is “most deject and wretched” (3.1.46-47). First she was sad over her father not letting her see Hamlet and now she feels even more miserable because she reluctantly had to meet with Hamlet. After the scene with Ophelia and Hamlet, Claudius says to Polonius, Love? His affections do not that way tend; Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little, Was not like madness. There’s something in his soul O’er which his melancholy sits on brood,…” (3.1.154-157). Claudius is convinced that Hamlet is not mad over Ophelia, but feels there is something else that is troubling him. Polonius disagrees and feels Hamlet is mad over her, but tells Claudius to “do as [he] please” (3.1.172). Here again Polonius shows favor to him by doing what Claudius thinks is best. In Understanding Hamlet, Richard Corum believes “no one, including Ophelia, can find Polonius out because nothing indicates that he is doing anything other than serving the interests of the king” (4). Only Claudius and Ge...
