To Understand or to Misunderstand Misinterpretation is a flaw that all humans have. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, we see a lot of the characters determining the problems they encounter by only examining the outward appearance when in reality, the situation was completely different. Ophelia is one of the characters that does this quite a bit. Ophelia struggles throughout the play with wanting to follow her heart but also her father’s instructions which eventually leads to her fatal end. Ophelia’s problem is that she only sees what her father shows her, which in this case has to deal with Hamlet’s love sickness and her will to only see reality through what her father shows and tells her. “Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. ‘Honor you father and mother’ – for this is the first commandment with a promise – so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on this earth” (Eph. 6:1-3, NIV). Obeying you parents has always been the right thing to do, The Lord even commanded that it was something everyone had to do. In Hamlet, we see a young girl named Ophelia who takes the honoring your father and mother thing a little too far. In this case, it’s her father who she listens to the most. When she opens up to her father about all of the lovely things Hamlet has been telling her he is quick to tell her “Ophelia,
Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers, not of that dye which their investments show, but mere implorators of unholy suits, breathing like sanctified and pious bawds, the better to beguile” (I, ii, 126-131). Basically that everything he has said to her has been a big show to entice her into doing sexual things with him. He then goes on to suggest that she not see or talk to Hamlet anymore (I, ii, 132-134). Ophelia is so blinded by her love for her father that she fails to see how her actions are hurting Hamlet.
Apparently, a man in love and a man who has just talked to a ghost look and act the same way. When Hamlet goes to be comforted by Ophelia, the love of his life, her immediate conclusion is that he is maddened with love for her. The way Ophelia explains the way Hamlet was acting would make any woman believe that he was mad with love: “He took me by the wrist and held me hard. Then goes he to the length of all his arm, and, with his other hand thus o'er his brow, he falls to such perusal of my face as he would draw it. Long stayed he so.” (II, i, 87-91). Of course, she had no clue that Hamlet had just found out from his dead father that he was murdered by his uncle. Hamlet was probably just trying to figure out what was real and wasn’t real, so he went to the one person he knew would never betray him.
Though it is not directly said in the text, Ophelia’s father tells her to give everything Hamlet ever gave her back to him. This was to ensure that Hamlet didn’t pursue her any further. Ophelia was basically telling him that she didn’t want to see him anymore. This exchange happens right around the time Hamlet speaks