The Analysis of the Character Ophelia on Hamlet Essay

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia is the most static character in the play. Instead of changing through the course of the play, she remains suffering in the misfortunes perpetrated upon her. She falls into insanity and dies a tragic death. Ophelia has issues surviving without a male influence, and her downfall is when all the men in her life abandon her. Hamlet’s Ophelia, is a tragic, insane character that cannot exist on her own. In Elizabethan times, Ophelia is restricted as a woman. She is obedient to the commands of the men in her life although she often attempts to do the right thing. Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet all have a grasp on Ophelia and who she is. She does not have the freedom to change her fate as Hamlet does.†¦show more content†¦Hamlet knows that she is helping her dad, Polonius, spy on him. He accuses Ophelia, and all women, of being a â€Å"breeder of sinners† (Shmoop Editorial Team 1). Hamlet orders Ophelia to a nunnery, but s he cannot call him out on it because she is not supposed to know what the word means. This is not the only criticism that Hamlet calls out to Ophelia. He says that if Ophelia is to marry a man, she will turn her husband into a monster because she will cheat on him (Shmoop Editorial Team 1). Hamlet: â€Å"If thou dost marry, I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell† (3.1.130-134). The lack of women in Ophelia’s life deprives her from any influence in her life to help guide her. Gabrielle Dane says, â€Å"Motherless and completely circumscribed by the men around her, Ophelia has been shaped to conform to external demands, to reflect others’ desires† (qtd. in Brown 1). Since Ophelia has no woman in fluence in her life, Polonius is left as the dominant role in her life (Brown 1). She is an obedient daughter and abides by the rules her father gives her with no protest. She is seen as her father’s property (Maki 2). HerShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis of Ophelia in Hamlet by William Shakespeare808 Words   |  3 PagesOphelia is completely virtuous and dependent on the men in her life, which is something I can identify with. Of all the characters in the play Hamlet, the one I liked the most is Ophelia. Shakespeare portrayed her beautifully and put all his emotions into Ophelia’s character. Ophelia showed the exact image of the majority of women from my home country. In the play Hamlet, Ophelia was the most innocent, meek, but distraught character. Ophelia was a young, innocent girl, who was spirited and was theRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Ophelia and Gertude in Shakespeare ´s Hamlet1128 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares most famous plays is, Hamlet. In Hamlet, the women, Ophelia and Gertrude were portrayed as property, non- controlling, inferior, and solely dependent on men throughout the play. Ophelia is an obedient daughter who is dependent on her father, Polonius for guidance. Ophelia and Hamlet were deeply in love, until his mother, Gertrude married his uncle, Claudius, the day of his fathers funeral. After seeing this, Hamlet believes that all women, including his love, Ophelia are weak and only wantedRead MoreThe Profound Impact Of Female Characters Of Shakespeare s Hamlet930 Words   |  4 PagesProfound Impact of Female Characters in Hamlet How much of an impact can the women in a man’s life have on his thoughts and actions? A mother is the first woman her son will come into contact with, and can skew her son’s image of women through her actions. A man’s significant other also has the ability to bring out the best in him, but can also become the target for his anger and stray emotions. In William Shakespeare s Hamlet, although there are only two main female characters, both women†¯possess crucialRead MoreThe Symbolism Of Ophelia s Hamlet 1500 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent readers? Text Analyzed: Shakespeare’s Hamlet Part of the Course to Which the Text Corresponds to: Part 4 Thesis: In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, Ophelia’s role would be interpreted as a plot device by a modern English woman and as a victim by an Elizabethan woman. This would occur because of their understanding of the symbolism of Ophelia’s actions in madness, the context surrounding Hamlet’s view of her, and their characterization of Ophelia. Argument 1 Topic Sentence: The two readersRead MoreHamlet Relationships And Madness Essay1246 Words   |  5 PagesMadness A few of the characters within the play Hamlet showed signs of madness. The characters went mad due to the antagonizing relationships they had with other characters; the madness within the play created a chain reaction among the characters. In the end, the characters’ madness led to their own and others untimely demise. Claudius’ jealousy of Hamlet senior began his downward spiral to madness. Claudius’ lust for Queen Gertrude, his brother’s wife, led to him killing Hamlet senior. â€Å"Pray canRead MoreHamlet Character Analysis961 Words   |  4 PagesWhen one reads William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, it is easy to overlook the female characters as powerless and subservient. However, things are not always what they seem at first glance, as a further analysis of Gertrude and Ophelia suggests. Although the plot centers around Hamlet’s quest for revenge, these two female characters have a profound influence on what transpires. These women certainly play more significant roles than they seem at first. In Act I, Gertrude appears to be an unfaithful wifeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Ophelia s Struggle And Madness1088 Words   |  5 Pages1 Pregnant with Madness— Ophelia’s Struggle and Madness in Hamlet Yi-Chi Chen Intergrams 11.2(2011): http://benz.nchu.edu.tw/~intergrams/intergrams/112/112-cyc.pdf ISSN: 1683-4186 Abstract Madness in Hamlet is one of the crucial themes for Shakespeare to depict the chaotic turbulence in the Hamlet family and the court of Denmark. Due to Claudius’s usurpation of the Old Hamlet’s crown and queen, characters such as Hamlet, Ophelia, and Gertrude suffer seriously from betrayal, resentment, and enragementRead MoreHamlet by William Shakespeare1456 Words   |  6 PagesThe play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, takes place in a time where the impossible was a part of the lives of everyday people. Occurrences that people in the modern time would believe unbelievable. Yet, with just a quill and parchment Shakespeare’s is able to connect the past and present by weaving a plot with skill that is still unparalleled to this day. The play Hamlet this exceeds this expectation by revealing depth of Hamlets, the protagonists, character personality through the useRead MoreAnalysis And Comparison Of Ophelia And Antigone1485 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis and Comparison of Ophelia and Antigone Analysis of Antigone Antigone s story begins in the middle of things as the audience is expected to be aware of her background. Antigone firmly believed that she and her sister were the final victims of a curse that was placed upon their family long ago. The rest of her family members had already paid the price of the evil, and it was, therefore, their destiny to die as well. As a result of the curse, Antigone, and her sister Ismene are destined toRead MoreThe Death and Madness of Ophelia1248 Words   |  5 PagesApril 19, 2013 â€Å"The Madness Death of Ophelia† Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: By; William Shakespeare In Hamlet, Shakespeare makes it clear that Prince Hamlet is insane or at least on the verge of â€Å"madness.† However, Ophelia (daughter of Polonius, King of Denmark) begins to go mad, as well, after Hamlet kills her father, and the other numerous tragedies that plague her like a black cloud hovering about until her untimely death. In this literary analysis I will ask, and attempt to explain the