La Amour de Hamlet
             Love is defined by Webster's II Riverside Dictionary, as an "intense affection". Well whoever went by the definition of a dictionary anyway? In William Shakespeare's tragic play, Hamlet, we find two characters that seem to have an "intense attraction" between them, Hamlet and Ophelia. Their love is quite questionable through out the entire play. Shakespeare has left his audience with out a definite answer. Knowing that Hamlet acts to Ophelia as a little child would to another, leads to deception that maybe he doesn't love her. In other parts of the play, he shows affection that is very clear to the audience that he has an intense affection towards her. Though deceitful, Hamlet loves Ophelia.
             The first sight of Hamlet's love to Ophelia is in act one scene three. Ophelia, Laertes, and Lord Polonius are speaking in Polonuis's house. They have a conversation about what has happened to Hamlet and his father. They start to talk about the feelings between Hamlet and Ophelia. Lord Polonius wishes to know what is between Ophelia and Hamlet. " He hath, my lord, of late made tenders/ Of his affection." (scene 3 act one ) If any kind of person would know that a man loves a woman it would be the woman herself. Polonius and Ophelia continue to speak and once again she speaks of Hamlets love. It becomes intuitively obvious that Hamlet is expressing an affectionate gesture to Ophelia. Whether or not the audience knows that yet it is true love or not is the unanswered question.
             The love between Hamlet and Ophelia is brought up again when Hamlet is speaking to Ophelia's father, Lord Polonius. (Scene II Act II)
             HAMLET
             Why,
             'One fair daughter and no more,
             The which he loved passing well.'
             LORD POLONIUS
             [Aside] Still on my daughter.
             The father knows best. Hamlet clearly loves Ophelia, and clearly Polonius is aware of it.
             From this point on, the ...