He took me by the wrist and held me hard; / Then goes he to the length of all his arm; / And with his other hand thus o'er his brow, / He falls to such perusal of my face / As he would draw it.
Act II, Scene 1 · Ophelia
Context
Ophelia continues describing Hamlet's silent actions in her chamber: he gripped her wrist, held her at arm's length, and studied her face intently, as though trying to memorize or draw it.
Analysis
The verb 'perusal' makes Hamlet treat Ophelia's face like a text to be read rather than a person to address, and the comparison 'as he would draw it' suggests both artistic scrutiny and emotional distance. Ophelia narrates the encounter entirely through Hamlet's actions—he 'took,' 'held,' 'falls to'—while she remains the passive object, which mirrors the power imbalance between them. The silence of the scene (he never speaks) makes his behaviour feel more like an experiment or performance than spontaneous emotion.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Hamlet's wordless performance with Ophelia is a test—by acting out madness silently, he ensures she will report it to Polonius, turning her into an unwitting accomplice in his larger strategy of appearing unhinged.