Do you believe Hamlet’s claim that he truly loved Ophelia or not?What textual evidence in the play supports your view?

Does Hamlet love Ophelia?

When Hamlet returns to Denmark in Act 5, his first public act is to attack Laertes and declare, “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers / Could not with all their quantity of love / Make up my sum” (5.1. 285-287). Do you believe Hamlet’s claim that he truly loved Ophelia or not? What textual evidence in the play supports your view? What evidence might support an opposing interpretation, and what is your response to such interpretations? Your response should consider:
• the context of the scene (5.1). Do you think Hamlet’s words and behavior here reflect true love and respect for Ophelia, or is he motivated by a selfish focus on his own image and his need to compete with Laertes?
• Hamlet’s interactions with Ophelia in earlier sections of the play (especially in Act 3);
• Other scenes and events that you see as relevant, such as his response to his murder of Polonius, and Ophelia’s madness and death.

What is Shakespeare telling us about his play and our lives through your chosen theme?What is he trying to tell his readers through it and his play?

Your essay will examine an idea or theme, which runs throughout the text of Hamlet and relates to the class focus on gender.

Ideally, you can build upon work from your last homework (but, if you need to refocus, then that’s fine, too!).
You will closely analyze moments when your chosen idea appears and consider the idea’s importance to the work as a whole. Will make an argument about the significance of your idea or theme to the play overall and/or its audience.

Answering these questions will help develop your ideas: What is Shakespeare telling us about his play and our lives through your chosen theme?What is he trying to tell his readers through it and his play?

A good is arguable,supportable,interesting,and organized.

Your essay must do more than summarize the play. It should also have evidence that you have read the play carefully.

In the end, you will have a 5-6 page essay with an introduction, 3+ body paragraphs,a conclusion, and a Work Cited or Works Cited page. All body paragraphs should have at least one direct quotation that has been properly integrated and analyzed.

In your conclusion, briefly recap your argument and then say something new about why this play’s messages matter to people today.