Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet . Hamlet: Am I not i’ the right, old Jephthah? Polonius: If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well. In the excerpt, Hamlet calls Polonius Jephthah, after the priest in the Old Testament who sacrifices his daughter to God. What does this allusion suggest about Polonius’s treatment of Ophelia?
Answer
A
Polonius is very protective of his innocent daughter.
B
Polonius is sacrificing his daughter to trick Hamlet.
C
Polonius is a better father than Hamlet’s father was.
D
Polonius is very loyal to the royal family of Denmark.
Explanation
Jephthah sacrificed his daughter after making a vow, so Hamlet’s allusion suggests Polonius is willing to sacrifice Ophelia for his own purposes. Polonius helps use her to test Hamlet’s feelings and spy on him, putting her at risk to gain information. The correct choice is “Polonius is sacrificing his daughter to trick Hamlet.”
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