3.1.4 Ophelia
She is the daughter of Polonius, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. Ophelia is a sweet and innocent young girl, who obeys
her father and her brother, Laertes. “I shall obey, my lord” Ophelia, I, iii 136 .
Her heart is pure, and when she does something dishonest, such as telling Hamlet that her father has gone home when he is really behind the curtain, it is out of
genuine fear. Ophelia clings to the memory of Hamlet treating her with respect and tenderness, and she defends him and loves him to the very end despite his
brutality. She is incapable of defending herself, but through her timid responses
we see clearly her intense suffering: Hamlet : ...I did love you once.
Ophelia: Indeed, my, lord, you made me believe so. Hamlet : You should not have believed me...I loved you not.
Ophelia: I was the more deceived
.
Hamlet, III, I, 115-118
3.2 Minor Characters
3.2.1 Polonius
Polonius is a lord Chamberlain of Claudius’s court, a pompous, conniving old man. He is father of Laertes and Ophelia. He is certainly trusted and held in
high regard by Claudius, who tells Laertes that his father is extremely important to Denmark:
The head is not more native to the heart The hand more instrumental to the mouth
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Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father. Hamlet, I, ii, 56-58
He is the first to believe that Hamlet’s madness is the result of Ophelia rejecting him. He is accidentally killed by Hamlet while eavesdropping on a
conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude. It can bee seen from these quotation below:
Hamlet: Mother, mother, mother Queen : Ill warrant you, fear me not:
Withdraw, I hear him coming. [Polonius hides behind the arras.]
Hamlet: Now, mother, whats the matter? Queen : Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended
Hamlet: Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge; You go not till I set you up a glass
Where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen : What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me?
Help, ho Polonius
Behind: What, ho Help Hamlet:
Drawing his sword. How now a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead
Stabs through the arras. Polonius
Behind: O, I am slain Falls and dies.
Hamlet, III, iv, 5-25 3.2.2 Laertes
He is the son of Polonius, a young man who spends much of the play in France. Passionate and quick to action. He retuned to Denmark when he learned
that his father had been killed. He fought hamlet in a fencing match at the end, and killed Hamlet by slashing him with a poisoned foil. It can be seen from these
quotations below:
Laertes : Come, one for me Hamlet : Ill be your foil, Laertes: in mine ignorance
Your skill shall, like a star I the darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed.
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Laertes : You mock me, sir Hamlet : No, by this hand.
Laertes : This is too heavy, let me see another. Hamlet : This likes me well. These foils have all a length?
They prepare to play. Hamlet, V, ii, 254-265
3.2.3 The Ghost
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