Part 19: Ophelia's Parley in Polonius' War
In Hamlet, Polonius uses the word “parley” in an interesting way in his statements to Ophelia, discouraging her from believing Hamlet’s expressions and vows of love. It is clear in their discussion that Ophelia wishes to believe Hamlet’s vows and “tenders” of his affection, while Polonius repeatedly assumes that Hamlet is waging an adversarial war to win Ophelia as a prize and to violate her chastity as an enemy might violate an opponent’s borders.
Polonius tells Ophelia,
From this time
Be something scanter of your maiden presence.
Set your entreatments at a higher rate
Than a command to *parley.*
(1.3.129-132) [2]
The contrast between Ophelia’s and her father’s assumptions about Hamlet is similar to the contrast between the names of the first two sentinels on stage in the play:
Francisco’s namesake would likely have been St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), a man of peace who once met (in a kind of parley) with the enemy leader, the Sultan of Egypt, during a crusade.
Bernardo’s namesake would likely have been St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), who once preached in favor of an earlier crusade. [3]
In his most famous “to be or not to be” speech, Hamlet wonders
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them.
(3.1.65-68)
It seems that Ophelia’s path is at first one of parley and suffering “outrageous fortune,” while her brother Laertes’ path is to be convinced by Claudius to take up arms against Hamlet.
Some scholars note the irony or oxymoron when Horatio describes a moment in the life of the dead King Hamlet:
HORATIO:
So frown'd he once when, in an angry *parle,*
He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.
(1.1.73-74)
A parley is not meant to be a time of anger and killing, but a chance for truce and resolution. So this vignette describes the dead King Hamlet not as a man of honor but as a warrior and "slave" of "passion" [4] who would dishonorably violate a parley.
This idea of parley and its violation is an important context for understanding Ophelia and her family: While her brother Laertes and father Polonius make it their task to strategize how to defend Ophelia from Hamlet, meanwhile, Queen Gertrude is nurturing hopes that Ophelia might be Prince Hamlet’s bride.
In this sense, the tragedy is not merely about the death of so many main characters, but also about a needless battle to defend Ophelia’s chastity from a threat that may be more imaginary than real.
NOTES:
[1] For the Instagram post, see this link:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyQ2sFXLf-m/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
For the Youtube video, see this link:
https://youtu.be/wwwjDXjgwYQ?si=ZU0K2HP9c_Ccnr4_
[2] All quotes are from the Folger Shakespeare Library online version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet: https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/
[3] For more on Francisco and Bernardo, and correlations between their lives and the themes of Hamlet, see the following blog post:
https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2018/03/scourge-minister-bernard-francis.html
[4] Hamlet to Horatio:
Give me that man
That is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him
In my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee. (3.2.76-79)
[5] Gertrude at Ophelia’s grave:
Sweets to the sweet, farewell!
(She scatters flowers.)
I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet’s wife;
I thought thy bride-bed to have decked, sweet maid,
And not have strewed thy grave.(5.1.254-257)
IMAGE: Left and right: Parle/parley quotes from Shakespeare’s Hamlet;
Center:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyQ2sFXLf-m/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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