ting an illegitimate child from his daughter! He commands to make herself less available to Hamlet, and she, being the obedient daughter she is, quietly obeys.Ophelia, already somewhat hurt and appalled by the expectations both her father and her brother hold for her, meets up with Hamlet. Their meeting was set up by Claudius and Polonius, in the hope that the cause for Hamlets madness lies in Ophelia. Much to everyone’s surprise, even Hamlet questions her virginity, although he is much more blunt about it than either Polonius. Ophelia, quite taken aback by this, seems to loose her wit she had displayed with Laertes, and her strength and determination with her father defending her love for Hamlet. All she can do is sit, and listen to this madman tell her, “I loved you not.”(3.1,120)To add insult to injury, Hamlet quickly tells her “get thee to a nunnery,” (3.1, 122) implying she get herself into a brothel, become a prostitute. He speaks to her as if he is appalled by the fact that she could possibly be a sexual being; he sees her as all other men see women, they are either housewives or prostitutes, and to fall anywhere in between meant you were hiding some deep dark secret. We have yet to receive clarification about such matters between Hamlet and Ophelia, except what others have accused. Yet, Hamlet states that he is himself “indifferent honest”(3.1, 123), leaving Ophelia the same, for she has had no other relationship than with Hamlet himself. After Hamlet leaves her, she, in an effort to find manner for this madness, immediately excuses it as an act of a madman, a noble mind overthrown. The continuing saga of Ophelia’s sexual liberty is resurfaced the night of the play. Hamlet, under the disguise of madness, lies his head in Ophelia’s lap. After she refuses to let him do so, he accuses her of thinking about “country matters,” (3.2, 114), pretending that hi...
