Hamlet- Hamlet's Love for Ophelia

In the second act of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Polonius and Laetres warn Ophelia about Hamlet's love for her and how she must refrain from any physical or mental connection with him. Similar to many other works of Shakespeare, there is this aspect of "forbidden love." Polonius is very concerned with Hamlet's affection for his daughter, and reads a love letter Hamlet send to Ophelia to the Kind and Queen. It reads, "Doubt thou stars are fire / Doubt that the sun doth move, / Doubt truth to be a liar, / But never doubt I love. / O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers. I have not / art to reckon my groans, but that I love thee best, O / most best, believe it. Adieu. / Thine everyone, most dear lady, whilst / this machine is to him, Hamlet" (II ii 124-32). In the play, Ophelia feels obligated to follow the orders of her father and brother, not to love Hamlet. Some even question if Hamlet's love for Ophelia is even genuine. However, Hamlet continues to demonstrate that his love is in fact true. Some, such as Polonius, claim that this love is the root of Hamlet's madness, not his father's death. It is interesting to consider this, as love in the past has driven people to sanity. The question is, what will love do to Hamlet?