#i think he did care for ophelia but certainly not 40k times the amount laertes did sorry bro i dont believe that

[aq2003]

the way hamlet acts in act 5 scene 1 juuuust clicked to me. like my impression was "smh my head he is so toxic, he did NOT love ophelia as much as laertes did, what is wrong with him" but actually i think the thing that sets him off isn't just laertes' display of grief, it's also how everyone takes it seriously. everyone treats ophelia's funeral like a funeral and is sympathetic to laertes and understanding of his desire to jump in a grave with her etc but these same people around hamlet expected him to celebrate his uncle's coronation and move on from his father's death at the same time. in that moment hamlet sees laertes as similar to the actor narrating priam's death in act 2 scene 2 and it makes him SO mad (and he regrets it later in act 5 scene 2 which is after he realizes laertes' emotions are as real as his own. probably why he calls him "brother" as well)

#i think he did care for ophelia but certainly not 40k times the amount laertes did sorry bro i dont believe that #hamlet #all my hamlet thoughts revolve around how hamlet is perceived by the people around him and how that affects him #hamlet living his life like someone on a stage and the ppl around him being his audience that isn't really paying attention #and like. ophelia being in this EXACT same position but so much worse. bc she's a woman in the 17th century