Ophelia "I shall the effect of this good lesson keep"

I want to expose Ophelia's underlying rebellion with my close readings. Her small speech in act 1, scene 3 exposes her hidden subversiveness. 

I shall the effect of this good lesson keep

-She’ll keep the effect of the lesson but not the direct lesson. Ophelia manipulates her words here to sound allegiant but really, she is sneakily subversive. If “I shall” is read as a troche, Ophelia puts emphasis on “I” rather than “you”, suggesting that she will adhere to her own interpretation of her brother’s words (as lenient as it may be) rather than her brother’s exact directions. A stress of “I” also connotes a strong sense of self and a value of her own ideals over those of her brother’s.

As watchmen to my heart, but, good my brother

-Ophelia uses the term “watchmen” rather than guard. If Laertes’ words acted as a guard, then she would keep Hamlet away entirely. However, a watchman is not quite as protective as a guard. Their job is more to monitor than to protect. This suggests that instead of completely staying away from Hamlet (as her brother intends for her to do) she will be cautious and take her brother’s words only as advice.

-This line is catalytic iambic pentameter with the second syllable of “brother” falling on the extra beat. This weakens the role of her brother, reinforcing her subversive stance towards her brother’s advice. It also creates a contrast with her stress of the word “I” in the previous line. She is strong while her brother is weak.

-Her use of the word "but" allows her to outline a particular condition to her adherence to her brother's words. This give her the power, rather than her brother. 

Do not come as ungracious pastors do,

-Pastors are figures of purity and chastity. She casts them in a negative light, suggesting their typical ungraciousness. This suggests Ophelia's opposition to a life of celibacy and sexual purity, reinforcing her opposition to her brother's advice. 

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,

-"Show me" is an iamb placing the stress on the word "me" once again establishing her as the dominant figure in the exchange. 

-Her negative characterization of both pastors and heaven imply that she doesn't feel that striving toward purity with the ultimate goal of heaven is worth it. The path to heaven is extremely painful and even those who devote their lives to religion have a very difficult time walking it. Why should she even have to try?

-Second syllable of heaven is unstressed (feminine rhyme). Ophelia does not see Heaven as her ultimate goal, she feels no real conviction towards reaching it. The idea of heaven is weak and, ultimately, not worth the pain that is necessary to arrive there.

Whiles like a puffed and reckless libertine

-"Libertine" ends the line on a masculine rhyme, giving strength to the idea of freedom and recklessness, especially when compared to heaven. 

-"Puffed" and "reckless" are much lighter, more positive words than "steep" and "thorny" which are used to describe the path to heaven. 

-Stark contrast drawn between the confining and painful path to heaven, and the reckless, open experience of freedom.

Himself the path of primrose dalliance treads

-"Himself" is an iamb with "him" unstressed. Could reflect her ongoing elevation of her own strength and her brother's (the him) weak suggestions at unnecessary purity and piousness. 

-The path of a reckless life is so much more beautiful than the path the heaven. "Primrose", and "dalliance" are both positive and open words. Instead of using any negative words to describe a life of hedonism (which would make more sense in reference to the time period and her supposed role in society) she characterizes an unchaste life as preferable to the path of heaven. 

And recks not his own reed.

-Suggests that nothing bad really comes from treading the path of primrose dalliance. 

-There is a downside to working towards heaven (a painful life with no real pay off) but a life of dalliance is both pleasurable and unpunished.