Ophelia. Act 2. Scene 1. SO MUCH CONFUSION!

Ophelia enters in somewhat of hysteria, and tells her father of what she has just witnessed.

Polonius: Mad for thy love? (2.1.95)

Ophelia:  My lord, I do not know.

But truly, I do fear It (2.196-97)

Polonius: What, have you given him any hard words of late? (2.1.119)

Ophelia: No, my good lord. But as you did command

I did repel his fetters and denied

His access to me (2.1.122)


During the previous encounter between Ophelia and Polonius, Polonius orders Ophelia to pay no attention to Hamlet, and stay in caution of him. She obeys, and the next exchange between Ophelia and Polonius in which we see starts with Ophelia explaining her latest encounter with Hamlet. She described Hamlet as being “As if he had been loosed out of hell- To speak of horrors—he comes before” (2.1.93-94).  Polonius asks if she believes he is madly in love with her (sort of a play on words), and she replies “My Lord, I do now know. But Truly, I do fear it”. In their last encounter she defended Hamlet saying “He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders- Of his affection to me” (1.3.108-109), but now, she is in fear of his mad love. Ophelia promised she would “obey my lord” (1.3.145), and did (according to Ophelia) obey those orders. She may not agree with her brother, and fancy their ideas of Hamlet to be truthful, but she realizes the power her father holds over her as her parents, and listens to him. By obeying she shows that she is still submissive, and is still confused on her own feelings, while also being confused with Hamlet’s shown confusion. So much confusion! Ophelia has yet to figure herself out, but will obey anything in which her father wishes.