Hamlet's Monologue: Elsinore Castle at Dawn - Ophelia's Loss

This monologue presents Hamlet's introspective thoughts as he walks through Elsinore Castle at dawn, grappling with the loss of Ophelia. He expresses his profound sorrow and disbelief at her death, recalling their past love and her father Polonius. Hamlet reflects on the circumstances surrounding her death, including his accidental killing of Polonius and the ensuing turmoil. He reveals his disdain for Claudius, the uncle who murdered his father and married his mother, and his growing anger towards Laertes, Ophelia's brother, whose grief he perceives as excessive. Hamlet's monologue showcases his internal conflict, his love for Ophelia, and his determination to prove his love for her above all others, which ultimately fuels his decision to duel with Laertes. This assignment highlights the emotional complexity and the themes of love, loss, revenge, and family dynamics within Shakespeare's play.

HAMLET is walking down the corridor of Elsinore Castle at dawn. He appears mournful and
distraught. His sad, mournful eyes lift up towards the sky as he halts for a brief moment.
HAMLET:
The emptiness in my heart speaks of a thousand words. It echoes the love I had for beloved
Ophelia who I cannot believe is no longer a part of my life. How can that be? It seems just like
yesterday when I heard her love confession. I briefly remember it the day when she left me in
anger. But what could I have done? I believed it to be Claudius I was aiming my sword at but it
instead turned out to be Polonius. Although I, myself do feel guilty about getting blood on my
hands but the loss of Ophelia saddens every part of my soul.
I clearly remember when I first laid my eyes on Ophelia. The gleam in her eyes captivated me in
the very first moment and I found myself being compassionate towards for her as days passed.
(sighs) Soon after, I realised those feelings had bloomed into something more. I found it was
love. But this feeling was accompanied by a certain distance in the form of your father. He was
nothing but an old fool who greed for more, being the perpetrator of my father’s death and
usurping his throne. Due to this, a feeling of distaste always accompanied me whenever I
thought about Ophelia as she was the daughter of the person who killed my father and married
my mother. Polonius’s character was clearly mirrored in his actions. As the saying goes, one’s
actions are reflected on their characters. Polonius made his distasteful character very clear by
being friends with Claudius!
HAMLET: It disgusts me to even think that I am associated with Claudius and to think that a
man like him is my uncle. The most unsavoury taste fills my mouth at the very thought of him.
Anger boils in my blood when I think how he had successfully schemed behind my father’s back
and managed to murder him! His repulsiveness knows no bounds since he has not only been able
to take hold of the kingdom but also marry my mother! How could he dare to replace the throne
which my father sat upon? Did he think he would get away with the heinous crime that he had
committed? I vow to myself that I would see to the end of this. In no way can I see that
treacherous man take away all the hard work of my father through these wicked schemes.
Thinking about these reasons only manages to fuel my distaste against Polonius.
HAMLET starts walking again, his face showings signs of anger and disgust.

HAMLET: Would things have been different if Ophelia had not been Polonius’s daughter? I
might have been able to spend some more time with her. Maybe even make her bride. Why did
she have to be Polonius’s daughter? The pain in my chest increases every time I think of this
very loss. I will not be able to see the sweet smile and cheerful laughter of Ophelia again.
However, one thing I should state that the disgust I felt for Polonius cannot be compared with my
love for Ophelia. The old fool should have been happy to have lived this long.
The thought of this family brings another sense of rage and violence upon my mind. I thought
that what I had done was wrong and was remorseful but seeing Laertes cry and scream was too
much for me. I knew he was overdoing his grief by asking the gravediggers to bury him alive but
I am the person who loved Ophelia the most and I told him that my love for Ophelia was more
than what forty thousand brothers could give her. My soul knows it; every part of my body
knows it. I did not know much about Laertes but his foolish claims angered me the most. I
cannot believe that he argued with me even when my love for Ophelia is known by all. I might
have killed her father by mistake. I have never felt an ounce of respect for that old cunning
scheming traitor but the love for my beloved Ophelia was still more than one could ever imagine.
How dare Laertes argue that his love was more! My blood boils with anger every time I think
about the words he said while grieving for his sister near her grave. I am glad I accepted his
challenge to a duel. This will give me the rightful chance to prove that it was I who loved
Ophelia the most. I will prove it to everyone that my love for Ophelia was beyond the limit of the
skies and the stars.
HAMLET storms off towards the exit of the castle, determined, in order to take part in a duel
with Laertes.
(EXITS)