How Does Shakespeare Present the Theme of Love in Hamlet

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How does Shakespeare present the theme of love in hamlet? Shakespeare presents the theme of love in many aspects. One of them is that love is reoccurring, it is a vital component for it, as it decides hamlet and many others fates, their deaths. For instance , when Ophelia rejects hamlets love by order of her father, they believe he has gone mad , and a change of circumstance changes love ,which then leads to Ophelia’s death eventually. Also he presents love as ambiguous and vague ,plain. As their relationship goes worse , it dries up and there isn’t any really any romance left. There is a lack of respect for love and each other, inappropriate flirting, love is replaced by lust. Also Shakespeare presents love in a dark way , the young lovers relationship darkens, love and hatred are intertwined, he believes love without trust cannot prevail. Also their love isn’t able to blossom fully as the government controls hamlet’s actions. There are many sacrifices in the play:-hamlet sacrifices his love for Ophelia to continue his fathers ‘quest’ to avenge him , but love changes him , he wants to avenge his father but his love for Ophelia is strong. He is faced with confusion. love is dangerous as well, when hamlets decision becomes too much for him he must scare Ophelia, thus pushing her away, in order to carry on with the avenging. “ my lord I do not know, but I fear it” it is unknown , “ to be or not to be “ – everything in hamlet’s world including love is unfamiliar and scary for him. During this pretend madness he develops a unfamiliar side and bad side , he calls Ophelia many nasty names, when really she was the only one there for him. “ nymph”, - as she is so innocent she doesn’t know how to react to this so he took advantage of her. ”are you honest?” he questions her purity and virginity and this hurts for her as virginity was important back then. He implies her
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