Laertes, arrives. There is a great deal of commotion because thecommoners are outside demanding Laertes be made king. Laertes storms in to confrontClaudius, the King, and accuse him of murdering Polonius. Laertes is cut off by theentrance of the mad Ophelia. She speaks somewhat nonsensically about herbs andflowers. She mentions rosemary, pansies, fennel, rue, and a daisy. Ophelia informsLaertes that all the violets withered at the time of her father’s death. This only angersLaertes more, and the scene ends with the King promising to prove his innocence toLaertes. Shakespeare’s word choice for Ophelia in this scene helps the viewer to perceiveher madness. Ophelia has suddenly become an outspoken and honest critic as opposed tothe shy daughter of Polonius. She is no longer restrained by the conventions of normalspeech and social constraints. She requests that the Queen "mark" her words which aresurprisingly filled with great beauty and insight. However, Gertrude does not heed herwarning, perceiving Ophelia as mad beyond all comprehension. Upon entering, Ophelia immediately begins speaking of her inability todistinguish between true love and lust in regard to Hamlet. She sings, "How should I yourtrue love now from another one? By his cockle hat and staff, And his sandle shoon." Hersong immediately changes the subject matter to the death of her father. She sings of theburial plot and headstone and then describes the burial shroud like the color of "themountain snow." Ophelia speaks some gibberish about the owl and the baker’s daughter,yet reverts back to some very sexual content. She describes Hamlet using her and takingher virginity. She says, "Then up he rose and donned his clothes And dupped the chamberdoor, Let in the maid, that out a maid Never departed more." Then, even more explicitly,Ophelia sings, "Young men will do’t if they come to’t, By Cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, “Beforeyou tumbled me...
