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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 18.0833  Thursday, 20 December 2007

From:		Larry Weiss <larry@lweiss.net>
Date:		Wednesday, 19 Dec 2007 17:18:13 -0500
Subject: 18.0827 Soliloquies - Truth or Lie...or Overheard
Comment:	Re: SHK 18.0827 Soliloquies - Truth or Lie...or Overheard

For those who quibble with my solution to the question -- we don't know 
enough about Ophelia yet; Polonius doesn't rhyme (he does actually -- 
"Neither a borrower ..."); other characters are also sententious; etc -- 
I ask:  If not here, where? If not this, then what?

Where does Hamlet first show awareness or suspicion about the privacy of 
his conversation with Ophelia? What does "Ha ha!" mean? What does "Are 
you honest?" mean? (Do you think Ophelia correctly interprets this as in 
inquiry into her chastity?) If you agree that this line shows Hamlet's 
awakened suspicion, then what awakened it? What happened just before 
this line that might have inspired Hamlet's interjection and question?

Haven't you ever seen a modern mystery melodrama in which a character 
speaks in an unaccustomed fashion and the detective immediately picks up 
that something is out of order?

In any case, if I am wrong, what is right?

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