Hamlet's Ophelia

Following this conversation, Hamlet returns to Horatio and Marcellus and proceeds to say “Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, how strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,

This all occurred while Hamlet was in England on order by the new King, Claudius. However, I received a letter from Hamlet stating he would be returning, as their ship was captured by Pirates. It stated, “Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chase”. When Hamlet returned we wandered to the churchyard and he discovered Ophelia had passed while he was away. Hamlet was agonized by this news and professed his love for the late Ophelia in a challenging likeness with Laertes.

Ophelia’s character went through quite a large transformation. In the play her father tells her that she is to stay away from Hamlet and she readily agrees. In the movie Ophelia doesn’t disagree with her father but she also doesn’t agree just to please him. This shows that Ophelia isn’t easily persuaded, even by her own father. Despite her father’s warning about Hamlet, Ophelia met with him in secret at her apartment until her father found out.

When Hamlet encounters Ophelia in the nunnery scene, she hands the letters back to him. He then tells her “You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish for it: I loved you not.” meaning that he never loved Ophelia. Hamlet suspects that her father, Polonius, has something to do with this, so he asks her where is her father. Ophelia lies and tells him that he is at home, this makes Hamlet get more angry and  tells her “Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell.

Hamlet, her father Polonius, and her brother Laertes decide everything for her. When she gets the chance to make a choice, she does not know how. “At four different times she say, ‘I do not know what to think, my lord,’ twice to her father and twice to Hamlet” (Montgomery Byles 1712). She wants to satisfy the desires of men and is confused when her feelings conflict with their wishes. She does not speak up or voice her opinion.

Hamlet views Ophelia as a naive and ignorant girl who is nothing but Polonius and Claudius's puppet. This was revealed when Hamlet said "God has given you one face and you make yourself another. . You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname God's creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance." (III, i, 143-146) In this quote Hamlet knows that Ophelia is spying on him for Polonius and Claudius.

Ophelia goes mad throughout the story. She is overwhelmed by the loss of her father and the rejection of Hamlet. Her character is seen spiraling down a dark path that also ends in death. Ophelia is depicted as not having control over her actions; speaking and acting erratically. While Hamlet is speaking erratically and behaving oddly, he still maintains control over his actions and movement throughout the story.

Ophelia went against her father’s wishes as he forbid her from talking to Hamlet since he was a player. Polonius said “I would not, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to talk with the Lord Hamlet” (Shakespeare, 2015, p. 253). Laertes also warned Ophelia about Hamlet. Hamlet was rude and controlling towards Ophelia one minute and loving to her the next. Hamlet freaked out Ophelia once and was rough with her, “He took me by the wrist and held me hard” (Shakespeare, 2015, p.265).

By this point, Ophelia has lost her father and Hamlet. It becomes clear she is questioning her choices at this point and deeply regrets certain actions taken. Allison A. Chapman, in her article titled “Ophelia’s ‘Old Lauds”: Madness and Hagiography in Hamlet,” discusses Ophelia’s spiral to demise. Chapman points out that “trying to submit to her father and to be a good potential wife for Hamlet has brought her nothing” except “shattering grief and madness” (Chapman 123). Looking back, Ophelia remarks, “how should I your true-love know/

When polonius finds out about the little love fling they have going on it absolutely infuriates him causing him to band Ophelia from seeing prince Hamlet. As the obeying and loyal daughter ophelia is she obeys her father's wishes. “ Then weigh what loss your honor may sustain If with too credent ear you list his songs, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open To his unmastered importunity. Fear it, Ophelia. Fear it, my dear sister, And keep you in the rear of your affection, Out of the shot and danger of desire.

“I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say he made a good end” (4.5.207-209). Ophelia has been going mad ever since she found out that her father had been murdered by the one and only person she wants to marry, Hamlet. Hamlet promised Ophelia many things; he told Ophelia that he loved her many times, but in the end he would insult her and make her feel worthless. “ Before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed” (4.5.57-58).

Women make up approximately fifty percent of the world’s population. Despite this fact, in William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the cast of over twenty characters consists of only two females: his mother, Queen Gertrude, and his lover, Ophelia. With the majority of the plot focused on Hamlet and the other male characters of the play, the readers are forced to rely on Hamlet’s ideas and treatment of women to gain a better understanding and perspective of the two female characters. However, Hamlet proves to be an unreliable source due to his biased opinion as seen through his presumption that women are weak based on his mother’s actions. Gertrude is portrayed as a villain in Hamlet’s eyes while Ophelia, a mere bystander, often faces the backlash of Hamlet’s judgement of Gertrude.

Hamlet shows his true feelings towards women. Must like a whore unpack my heart with words and fall a-cursing like a very drab,/a scullion. (2.2. 574-576) He believes that all women are unfaithful to their significant other. Hamlet feels as if all women are weak and fragile comparing them to frailty.

Ophelia is Prince Hamlet’s love interest in the play. Her father, Polonius, and her brother, Laertes,

Ophelia obeys to her father and agrees to stop seeing Hamlet, which portrays her as emotionless toward Hamlet. However, throughout the conversation, she resists and insists that she loves Hamlet. Ophelia mentions that, “My lord, he hath importuned me with love In honorable fashion” (1. 3. 111-112). Ophelia focuses on how honorable and