was in love with Hamlet, and he with her. However, because of Hamlet's new focus, or purpose, their once relationship falls apart. One of Hamlet's first plans to expose Claudius's guilt was to fake "madness" and then be able to walk around unnoticed. Due to this sudden change of character, Polonius becomes concerned for his daughter's well being and goes to Claudius and Gertrude seeking advice. Hamlets feigned madness causes Polonius to force Ophelia to break off her and Hamlet's relationship and that becomes the end of Hamlet and Ophelia's love. Hamlet's ego becomes damaged when Ophelia goes to him, returning his tokens of affection, like her father advised. So, in response, he denies giving her any of the things, and insults her at the same time. "If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, farewell" (3.1.143). Hamlet gives Ophelia this plague and tells her to get herself to a convent because she delivers the blow to his pride. Hamlet's cruelty is one factor of Ophelia's later downfall. Hamlet is not certain at this point whether his mother took part, or knew about, his uncle's tyrannical plan to take his father's place on the throne and in the family. Therefore, his love and devotion cause him to suspect this, and act uncaring and distant toward his mother. During another attempt to expose Claudius, Hamlet reenacts his father's brutal murder (how the apparition revealed it to him) through a performance by a group of traveling players. Hamlet's attitude toward his mother is apparent in the few minutes before the play commences when the Queen asks her son to come sit by her. "No, good mother, here's metal more attractive" (3.2.105), Hamlet replies to his mother's offer, suggesting that the thought o...