Friend of the Blog William McGrath expands on my theory that Ophelia is pregnant.
I talk about the idea that Hamlet has actually come on stage at the beginning of Act III, scene 1, and therefore hears the King set Ophelia to spy on him: "For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither, that he, as 'twere by accident, may here affront Ophelia." That would explain why Hamlet is so cruel to her after his soliloquy.
But McGrath points out that Hamlet doesn't need to have overheard the King. He's a clever guy; he's been to University at Wittenburg. He's on a "thee" and "thou" basis with Ophelia. That's how he addresses her in love letters. And that's how he first addresses her: "Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered." ('Be sure to pray for all the sins we've committed together.')
But she addresses him as "you": "How does your Lordship for this many a day?"
Hamlet immediately can tell something's up. The only reason she would speak so formally to him is if someone's watching.
From then on, he addresses her as "you.": "I humbly thank you. Well, well, well."
Any Frenchman would immediately notice if his girlfriend called him "vous" instead of "tu."
McGrath:
It would be the equivalent of my lover calling me Mr McGrath. She goes all proper on him. He answers all proper, with a "you" and a big WTF on his mind which the audience must see. For Hamlet it's an a-ha moment. No doubt he looks around and spots some tell-tale sign of somebody hiding behind the curtain. He had been willing to marry her before, but now he feels betrayed. He asks, "Are you honest?" knowing she's not, and then tells her to go to hell, as who wouldn't?Wow, yes, that makes sense.
I love Shakespeare. The plays are practically bulletproof, if you just read them carefully enough.
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