View source for Scene 3 Extended Notes

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These are the Extended Notes for Scene 3, which offer material beyond what's found in the regular Notes for the Scene.

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====03-004====
''But let me hear from you.''

Laertes has demanded a letter from Ophelia, with no promise to write to her.  Why does he really want that letter?  One might hazard a guess.

Let us say, Laertes meets an attractive young lady in Paris, and chats with her.  He then finds himself at a loss, for the moment, of anything to say, as can easily happen with a new acquaintance.  At that point, he reaches into his pocket, and brings out Ophelia's letter.  He looks at it, and pretends to brush away a tear.

The young lady inquires, with concern, "What is it?  Bad news?"

Laertes tells her, no, not that.  It's a letter from his sister, whom he misses so much, and about whom he cares so deeply.  He's sad that she's so far away, and he feels homesick.  (Actually, as we saw, he hates Elsinore, and couldn't wait to get away.)

The young lady in Paris says, as she puts her hand on his arm to comfort him, "You must be a very good hearted man."

Laertes replies, that well, he never really thought about it, but yes, he supposes he must be a good hearted fellow.  He compliments the young lady for being so sympathetic, and understanding.

And so on.

That's why he wants that letter.  He wants it so he can pretend to shed a tear over it, to gain the sympathy of girls in Paris that he's trying to make a move on.

Or am I too skeptical?

Oh, Laertes didn't think of that himself, he isn't bright enough.  One of his buddies in Paris mentioned that technique, as a way to make girls think you're caring and sentimental.

Return: [[Scene 3#03-004]]

====03-005====
''Ophelia:  Do you doubt that?''

Ophelia knows what will happen if she doesn't write the letter.  Laertes will write to Polonius, and complain that Ophelia hasn't written to him.  Polonius will then scold Ophelia about how inconsiderate it is that she hasn't written to her brother, who's so far away in a strange city.  Polonius will insist Ophelia write to Laertes immediately, make her do it right then, and call her thoughtless and rude.  She can spot that coming, a mile away, because of how her father and brother both are.

So yes, she'll write the darn letter this evening, even though she knows her brother doesn't truly want to correspond with her.  She doesn't know what he has in mind with the letter, except he's being his usual burdensome self.

Return: [[Scene 3#03-005]]

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© 2014 Jeffrey Paul Jordan

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[[Category:Notes]]