The Theme Of Trust In Hamlet, Claudius And Ophelia

In Hamlet, there arise questions of what is true or real and who can be trusted to share that truth. A particularly popular question is whether or not the ghost is real; however, this initial query raises the broader issue of trust in the narrative and trust in different characters that are presented on stage. Hamlet trusts the ghost and Horatio, Claudius trusts Polonius, but it does not seem that any of the men ever trust the two women in the play, Gertrude and Ophelia. So far as the audience sees, there seems to be no reason to suspect either woman of any wrongdoing or suspicious behavior. Yet, it seems that every opportunity these Hamlet, Claudius, and Polonius have to trust the women in their lives, they do not. The question†¦show more content†¦When Ophelia tells Polonius, her father, what she and Laertes were talking about, Polonius reiterates exactly what Laertes said and forbids her from seeing Hamlet, saying later that the prince is â€Å"out of [her] star (II .2.150).† Yet, Gertrude later, at Ophelia’s funeral, says that she had hoped that Hamlet and Ophelia would marry, which shows that whether Hamlet, Ophelia, and her family knew it or not, Ophelia would have been approved by the King and Queen for Hamlet and was not considered beneath him, at least not by the Queen (V.1.255). Though, there may be some indication that the Queen was beneath Hamlet’s father’s station as well, so she would be more excepting and sympathetic to Ophelia and her feelings (I.5.55-59). But, when the ‘adults’ discuss the cause of Hamlet’s madness, no one listens to the Queen’s astute understanding that her son is unhappy about her marriage, and the King listens instead to the other man in the discussion, Polonius and Polonius’s idea that Hamlet is mad for love. When Ophelia is sent to talk to Hamlet in Act III, both the King and Polonius hide behind a tapestry instead of trusting her to tell them w hat was actually said. Perhaps the reason Hamlet is so horrible to her after his soliloquy is because he realizes that the King and Polonius are listening in on them and he feels betrayed. The men in this play not putting their trust in Gertrude or Ophelia causes some of the strife and tragedy that occurs in the play. Certainly,Show MoreRelatedHamlet Betrayal1216 Words   |  5 Pagessomeones trust. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, betrayal is a reoccurring action between many characters. 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