In addition
to the many mixed emotionsis dealing with, there are a few other interpretations of this scene
that are worth noting.
The Kenneth Branaugh film depiction of the play
suggests thatknows that he is being spied on at that very minute byand . I think this
interpretation has a lot of validity - and makes his behavior even more accounted for.
When Hamlet asksin line 103, "Ha, ha! Are you honest?" the footnote suggests
he means to not only ask if she is at-that-moment telling him the truth, but is she also
"chaste" and "modest." The interpretation here is that Hamlet and Ophelia
have already carried on a sexual relationship - but that Ophelia is hiding this truth from her
father and everyone else. If you look at it this way, it is almost like Hamlet is saying,
"Are you lying to me about your true feelings just like you've been lying to your father
about your virginity?" Perhaps Ophelia hasn't directly lied.
But she's not living in complete honesty with anyone (including herself) so Hamlet has reason
not to trust her.
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