The quote “Get thee to a nunnery” is one of the most famous and brutally ambiguous lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It is spoken by Hamlet to Ophelia in Act 3, Scene 1, during a pivotal and intensely dramatic scene.
Context of the Quote
This line is spoken during the “nunnery scene,” a confrontation between Hamlet and Ophelia that is secretly observed by Polonius and King Claudius. They have arranged this meeting to test Polonius’s theory that Hamlet’s madness is caused by his unrequited love for Ophelia.
Hamlet, aware that he is likely being watched, uses the scene to put on a performance of extreme madness and cruelty. He initially seems to greet Ophelia warmly, but his tone quickly shifts to one of anger and scorn. He questions her honesty, denies ever loving her, and delivers a series of vicious insults. The line “Get thee to a nunnery” is the culmination of this rage and his rejection of her.
Meaning and Analysis
The quote has a dual and contradictory meaning, which makes it particularly chilling and tragic.
Literal Meaning (A Convent): The most straightforward interpretation of “nunnery” is a convent, a place where a woman would live a chaste and secluded life devoted to God. In this sense, Hamlet’s command could be seen as a twisted form of concern. He is telling Ophelia to escape the corrupt and deceitful world of men and the Danish court. The world, as he sees it, is full of “monsters” and “sinners” (including himself), and a nunnery is the only place where she could maintain her purity and be safe. This interpretation frames Hamlet’s cruelty as a desperate act to protect Ophelia from a world that he feels is beyond saving.
Slang Meaning (A Brothel): In Elizabethan England, the term “nunnery” was also a common slang word for a brothel or a house of prostitution. If Hamlet is using this meaning, his words are a devastating and cruel insult. He is not only rejecting Ophelia but is also accusing her of being unchaste or, at the very least, suggesting that she is destined to become so in a corrupt world. This meaning is consistent with his broader disillusionment with women, which was born from his mother’s hasty marriage. He sees all women as inherently frail and deceptive, and this line is a vicious expression of that belief.
The Broader Thematic Significance
Regardless of which meaning is dominant, the line is a powerful tool for exploring several key themes of the play:
Hamlet’s Misogyny: The quote is a direct and shocking example of Hamlet’s misogyny. His disgust with his mother’s actions has poisoned his view of all women. He projects his anger and sense of betrayal onto Ophelia, punishing her for the sins of Gertrude.
Appearance vs. Reality: The scene is a perfect example of this theme. Hamlet is feigning madness, but his words are so genuinely cruel that the line between his performance and his true feelings becomes blurred. Ophelia, and the audience, are left to wonder whether his love was ever real.
The Powerlessness of Ophelia: The line highlights Ophelia’s tragic powerlessness. She is a pawn in a game she doesn’t understand, forced by her father to reject the man she loves and then brutally castigated by that very man. Her inability to defend herself against Hamlet’s verbal assault and her subsequent emotional breakdown foreshadow her tragic descent into madness.
In summary, “Get thee to a nunnery” is a line that is both a twisted gesture of protection and a vicious, misogynistic insult. Its ambiguity makes it a key moment in the play, revealing the depth of Hamlet’s psychological torment, his tragic cruelty, and the profound powerlessness of Ophelia in a world corrupted by men’s actions.