Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay - 1488 Words

Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Shakespeares Hamlet is a tale of mortal revenge, lost souls, love and infidelity, and murder in the royal family. Hamlet, his father having recently died, is mourning the marriage of his mother to his uncle. When his fathers ghost appears to him and tells him he must avenge the former kings spirit so that it may pass on to Heaven, he decides to put on an antic disposition so that no one will know what he is thinking. As time goes by, he cannot move himself to act upon his revenge and is tormented by his indecisiveness and ineptitude. Among all of this, what is the role of Ophelia, the young maiden, and daughter of the Kings advisor, Hamlets former sweetheart? She seems to appear out of†¦show more content†¦While Hamlet was secretive and rude to others, Laertes acted officially and still like a gentleman, saying: I am satisfied in nature, Whose motive in this case should stir me most To my revenge; but in my terms of honor I stand aloof and will no reconcilement Till by some elder masters of known honor I have a voice and precedent of peace To keep my name ungoredÂ… What makes Ophelia Hamlets foil is also part of what makes her more tragic than him. Hamlet felt grief over his fathers death, however his madness was only pretend. Ophelia actually went insane after her father was killed. Ophelias position in society was also the opposite of Hamlets. Hamlet is free to do as he chooses, all the time. However, Ophelia is usually under close surveillance by her father at all times and has no choices. Because of this Ophelias character is more unfortunate than that of Hamlet. In addition to being Hamlets foil, Ophelia also served as foil to Gertrude. Gertrude was self-serving and never blamed herself for anything bad that happened, even the things that were her fault. It is speculated that the queen knew about her husbands murder, possibly even assisted in it, but she always denied it and acted like the victim. However, Ophelia blamed herself for everything bad that happened: Hamlets madness, her fathers death, when reall y none of them had to do with her. Ophelia is meek and fragile; she tries toShow MoreRelatedComparison Of Ophelia In Hamlet And William Shakespeares Hamlet713 Words   |  3 PagesBoth Ophelia from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet along with the unnamed woman from â€Å"Anne Sexton’s Music Swims Back To Me† both face very horrendous tragedies, this proves to be the undoing of their sanity. In â€Å"Anne Sexton’s Music Swims Back To Me†. The woman in the poem is very perceptibly confused and distraught, she appears lost and there isn’t anything clear to point her towards what to do or where to go. The woman appears to be scared that is until she hears the music. It is the sole thing sheRead MoreThe Consequences Of Ophelia In William Shakespeares Hamlet1214 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a compelling story filled with suffering, revenge, and manipulation. While these are all aspects that come together to create a memorable and thought-provoking play, they also result in the downfall of various characters. With these unfortunate individuals, Shakespeare shows that it is not necessarily one’s actions, but their situation that decides whether they lose it all. In this play, the victims’ suffering is not their own doing, but instead it is caused by theRead More Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay2759 Words   |  12 PagesOphelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet â€Å"Follow her close, give her good watch, I pray you† (IV.5.73). Ostensibly, Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the riddling, enigmatic, inscrutable theatrical character par excellence. His motives, madness, conflicting morals and existential struggles are ambiguous to say the least. When analysing his character, Laertes and Fortinbras are often brought in as examples of less extreme characters dealing with similar but more tangible dilemmas. The idea thatRead More The Role of Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1339 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Although Ophelia is not a main character in the revenge tragedy Hamlet her dramatic purpose is vital to the play. It emphasizes the poisoned body politic and its affects on the innocent. The role of women in the sixteenth century is to be obedient and dutiful, the only way to accomplish this was to be passive. Women in the sixteenth century were meant to be obedient to their fathers, for they were their propertyRead MoreOphelias Madness Essay909 Words   |  4 PagesThe character of Ophelia is an excellent element of drama used to develop interpretations of Shakespeare’s text. At the beginning of the play, she is happy and in love with Hamlet, who first notices her beauty and then falls in love with her. The development of Ophelia’s madness and the many factors that contributed to her suicide are significant parts of the plot. â€Å"Her madness was attributed to the extremity of her emotions, which in such a frail person led to melancholy and eventual breakdown†Read MoreWomen s Tragedy : Hamlet And King Lear1185 Words   |  5 PagesTinsley Anderson Dr. Pitchford ENGL 4037 24 November 2015 Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies: Hamlet and King Lear While William Shakespeare’s Tragedies are well known for their violence, tragic heroes, and fatal flaws, the method in which Shakespeare portrays his female characters in a negative light is seldom expressed. The women of Shakespeare’s Tragedies are represented unfavorably, no matter if they are virtuous or evil. â€Å"Shakespeare’s plays are not lacking in women with positive human qualities,Read MoreThe Characters Of Foils In William Shakespeares Hamlet860 Words   |  4 Pages Foils In Hamlet   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In fiction, a foil is a character whom contrasts with another character in the story, typically the protagonist. The foil is able to highlight certain aspects of their opposing character. A foil can differ dramatically or be extremely similar but tends to have key qualities that distinguish the two apart from each other. When an author uses a foil in literature they are emphasizing not only strengths and weaknesses the main character poses, but also understanding the obviousRead MoreHamlet: a Feminist Approach Essay examples1224 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet: A Feminist Approach Sexism: the belief or attitude that one sex is inherently superior to, more competent than, or more valuable than the other (most commonly used for male superiority). This idea that women are weak is not a new one in the modern world. It has been studied for countless years along with the concept of a patriarchal society. A patriarchy is defined as a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. Such systems currentlyRead MoreHamlet: Mel Gibson vs Kenneth Branagh Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet, a tragedy by William Shakespeare shows a lot of adaptations to movies. Hamlet by Mel Gibson (1990) and Kenneth Branagh (1996) interpret and portray the play by Shakespeare in different ways. The two film versions of Act IV of Hamlet have many differences and similarities. Kenneth Branagh’s version of Hamlet is seen covering most of the original text of Shakespeare’s play of Hamlet unlike the Mel Gibson version which o mits many scenes and dialogues. The film version of Hamlet featuring KennethRead More Essay on Frail Ophelia of Hamlet711 Words   |  3 PagesFrail Ophelia of Hamlet      Ã‚   Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare makes it evident that Ophelia is very unstable. She continuously changes her mind about the way she feels. Laertes and Polonius command her to do things that she does not agree with, but she does them with no argument. Afraid to stand up for herself, she stands back and watches everyone else control her life. In Shakespeares Hamlet, Ophelia is treated as a marionette with her strings in the hands of the people around her; however