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Author: Gooch, Michael Source:
Explicator 60, no. 4 (Summer 2002): p. 186-188 ISSN: 0014-4940 Number:
185118881 Copyright: Copyright HELDREF PUBLICATIONS Summer 2002
Ophelia's "remembrances,"1 which she returns to
Hamlet in act 3, scene 1, were the main topic of discussion at a workshop
session of the 2001 Shakespeare Association of America conference.2 All of the
session participants had written short responses explaining their choices of
remembrances from the standpoint of how they might be played on the stage. Many
suggested pressed flowers, to be taken from her devotional book, no doubt
anticipating Ophelia's giving flowers to Laertes with
the admonition "that's for remembrance" (4.5.179). Others suggested
bracelets, rings, and necklaces, mindful of Ophelia's description of "rich
gifts" (3.1.102). I propose a much simpler solution, one that the text
supports, that eliminates awkwardness in the staging and provides a clearer,
more elegant understanding of both Hamlet's and Ophelia's' words and actions.
What is commonly referred to as Ophelia's prayer book is not a prayer book at
all: it is Hamlet's book.
Before elaborating on my theory, I would like to point out
the essential shortcomings of the most commonly offered explanations of
Ophelia's remembrances as they relate to the staging of act 3, scene 1. If we
take any of the more common theories of remembrances, such as a ring, necklace,
or bracelet (more than one of these, since she states it in the plural), we are
left with an image of Ophelia carrying both the book and the remembrances, a
cumbersome and clumsy situation. To play out the scene, she must put down her
book somewhere (on a table, the floor, a bed) and then give back the
remembrances, which she is either wearing or carrying in a small purse of some
sort. She must do these things all the while carrying on a heated dialogue with
Hamlet at his most animated-an unlikely prospect. The ingenious idea of using
pressed flowers from the prayer book as remembrances could be an effective
stage device; the symbolism of Ophelia returning dead flowers to Hamlet is
unmistakable, and it eliminates some of the clumsiness of an overburdened
Ophelia.3 The question then, comes down to the book.
Most readers of Hamlet identify the text in question as a
devotional book or prayer book.4 Such books were common in Shakespeare's time,
and this reading appears to be sanctioned by Hamlet's comment, "Nymph, in
thy orisons / Be all thy sins remembred"
(3.1.47-49). Yet, as O. B. Hardison points out in an
analysis of Lawrence Olivier's filming of the scene, his "decision to make
Ophelia's book a devotional manual is justified by this scene, but not
inevitable" (135). The book need not be holy in and of itself; it could be
the book that we saw Hamlet reading earlier in the play. Ophelia could be
treating the book with a feigned reverence because it is a remembrance of his
that she is about to give back, and she would like to be perceived by the
entering Hamlet as being in a prayerful repose.
The question, then, is how did Ophelia come to have Hamlet's
book? For the answer to this we should look back to act 2, scene 2, when Hamlet
enters the room reading a book. Polonius enters shortly thereafter and engages
Hamlet in a probing but unsuccessful conversation. Hamlet's book is never
mentioned again after this point, but interestingly enough, in act 3, scene 1,
Polonius gives Ophelia what most assume to be the prayer book. I would argue,
though there is no absolute proof, that Polonius gave Ophelia Hamelt's book. It makes logical sense that Polonius took
Hamlet's book and gave it to Ophelia for several reasons. First, Polonius had
the opportunity. Perhaps during the course of their conversation Hamlet put his
book down someplace and forgot about it. Or, given Polonius's inquisitiveness
about the book, it is even possible that Hamlet might have given him the book.
Second, it is in no way coincidental that two characters in consecutive scenes
are shown reading books. Third, and most important, Ophelia's possessing
Hamlet's book makes for some interesting insights into the attitudes and
motivations of not only Hamlet, but Polonius, Claudius, and Ophelia as well.
If we imagine Hamlet seeing Ophelia pondering his book with
a thoughtful expression, we can anticipate his harsh treatment of her, as well
as the rage directed toward Polonius and Claudius, whom he probably knows to be
present.5 Hamlet is angry that Ophelia and Polonius have used such cheap forms
of manipulation. Polonius anticipates a strong reaction from Hamlet on seeing
Ophelia with the purloined book, and hopes that it will result in a distracted
Hamlet divulging more information to Ophelia than he had planned. The full
extent of Claudius's manipulations is better appreciated here as well. It is a
commonplace to point out that Claudius has arranged this scene between Hamlet
and Ophelia in much the way that Hamlet sets up the Mousetrap.6 If Claudius
directs this scene, then Polonius is both a prop master and an acting coach for
Ophelia, the main actress.
If this reading of the scene is correct, then we know more
about Ophelia as well. Although some may perceive Ophelia as a pathetic victim
of abusive men, it is more likely that she is an active participant in the
deception being carried out. The book she returns to Hamlet and the highly
emotional speeches she makes are calculated gestures aimed at making him give
away the extent of his knowledge of his father's murder and his mother's
betrayal. That Hamlet can see through this deception easily may account for the
bitterly ironic, sarcastic, and perhaps even abusive treatment of Ophelia that
disturbs so many.
NOTES
1. The word "remembrance" appears in Shakespeare's
works some 69 times, usually carrying the meaning of "a memory or recollection"
(OED). In Hamlet, Ophelia uses the term both in act
3, scene 1 and act 4, scene 5 to suggest "an article
serving to remind one person of another; a keepsake, souvenir, a token"
(OED). Perhaps the most famous instance of this latter meaning occurs in
Othello, where Emilia describes the infamous
handkerchief as a "first remembrance" (3.3.307).
2. Many thanks to session organizer Miriam Gilbert and to
all the session participants for their valuable insights, without which this
work would have been impossible.
3. For more on the motif of flowers in Hamlet, see Otten and Persoon.
4. See Ayers for example.
5. In the Olivier film that Hardison
makes reference to, for example, Hamlet is shown to definitely know that he is
being watched.
6. Ayers makes this point as well.
WORKS CITED
Ayers, P. K. "Reading, Writing, and Hamlet."
Shakespeare Quarterly 44 (1993): 423-439.
Hardison, O. B. "Speaking the
Speech." Shakespeare Quarterly 34 (1983): 133-146.
Olivier, Lawrence, dir. Hamlet. 1948. Videocassette.
Hallmark, 1995.
Often, Charlotte F. "Ophelia's `Long Purples' or `Dead
Men's Fingers.'" Shakespeare Quarterly 30 (1979): 397-402.
Persoon, James. "Shakespeare's
Hamlet." Explicator 55 (1997): 70-71.
"Remembrances." Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd Ed.
1989.
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed.
David Bevington. 4th ed. New York: HarperCollins,
1992.
-MICHAEL GOOCH, Devry Institute of
Technology