Ophelia
Status: Secondary character in the play. Daughter of the King’s Advisor, Polonius and sister to Laertes. Somewhat high social hierarchical status.
Main Purpose: No real “purpose” however her motivations come from her father and Hamlet.
Analysis:
- Ophelia is powerless and obedient. These characteristics are actually not unique in any form for a young woman in the late 16th and 17th centuries. Essentially, she is expected to obey her father unquestionably until she is married; only then the husband would replace the father’s role of establishing the rules. This is perfectly demonstrated when her father demands that she stop seeing Hamlet, and she complies despite her love for him: “I shall obey my Lord" (1.4.10). What’s more, is the fact that she is forced to act as bait under Polonius’ rules in order to spy on Hamlet, and yet it is she who unfairly receives Hamlet’s rage and insults. Ophelia is torn between patriarchal pressures that cause her to have no control over her body, relationships, and choices.
- Ophelia is innocent and beautiful. Ophelia is described by Hamlet, Gertrude, and even Laertes both directly, and indirectly as quite beautiful and attractive. Hamlet describes her as beautiful in a speech addressed to her yet it is because of this beauty that she cannot truly be good (the latter is not important). Likewise, Gertrude describes her as “mermaid like” as she was gently ebbing down the brook to her death. Similarly, Laertes also metaphorically compares her to a flower when insisting she keep her chastity. In Shakespeare’s play, Ophelia is the symbolic icon for beauty and innocence and is very much represented in this way in many films/ plays. Perhaps what Ophelia so beautiful is in fact her innocence, as if the two were inseparable yet a part of the same entity. Ophelia is regarded as innocent because she is perhaps (for a one of the more central characters in the play) the least involved in the disastrous affairs of Hamlet and Claudius, and is seen as someone who does not wish any harm upon anybody. Shakespeare’s portrayl of Ophelia is incredibly sympathetic and seems to register the unfairness of the way Ophelia is treated. Her most tragic demise is a result of the extreme patriarchal pressures and circumstances (out of her control) that cause her mental breakdown.
- Ophelia is emotional and fragile. Due to the fact that women in this age were extremely dependent on men, Ophelia likewise heavily relies and depends upon the men of her life (Polonius and Hamlet). Similarly, Ophelia is insecure and emotional partly in due to her young age (picture teenage girl) and partly in due to a society that disables her from being independent and strong. This is seen when Ophelia is devastated by Hamlet’s striking insults and how she seeks comfort from her father, Polonius (who is too self-centered to properly tend to her daughter’s feelings). As such, having a selfish father who is then murdered by her verbally abusive boyfriend who seems to have gone mad, causes her to break down mentally. Her fragility is best shown when she falls into the brook, and neglects to save herself but simply lets herself go with the flow of the brook (suicide). However, her death is so fitting to her personality and admittedly beautiful in the sense that one can picture the scene: She is gently ebbing down the brook with her overflowing dress, fully extended so that she looks like an angel, and she is surrounded by flowers while singing a sweet melody pending her death. Indeed, her death is symbolic of how she lives her life - that being “going with the flow”.
Symbolic Representation: A flower. See "Flowers" in Imagery tab.
Main Purpose: No real “purpose” however her motivations come from her father and Hamlet.
Analysis:
- Ophelia is powerless and obedient. These characteristics are actually not unique in any form for a young woman in the late 16th and 17th centuries. Essentially, she is expected to obey her father unquestionably until she is married; only then the husband would replace the father’s role of establishing the rules. This is perfectly demonstrated when her father demands that she stop seeing Hamlet, and she complies despite her love for him: “I shall obey my Lord" (1.4.10). What’s more, is the fact that she is forced to act as bait under Polonius’ rules in order to spy on Hamlet, and yet it is she who unfairly receives Hamlet’s rage and insults. Ophelia is torn between patriarchal pressures that cause her to have no control over her body, relationships, and choices.
- Ophelia is innocent and beautiful. Ophelia is described by Hamlet, Gertrude, and even Laertes both directly, and indirectly as quite beautiful and attractive. Hamlet describes her as beautiful in a speech addressed to her yet it is because of this beauty that she cannot truly be good (the latter is not important). Likewise, Gertrude describes her as “mermaid like” as she was gently ebbing down the brook to her death. Similarly, Laertes also metaphorically compares her to a flower when insisting she keep her chastity. In Shakespeare’s play, Ophelia is the symbolic icon for beauty and innocence and is very much represented in this way in many films/ plays. Perhaps what Ophelia so beautiful is in fact her innocence, as if the two were inseparable yet a part of the same entity. Ophelia is regarded as innocent because she is perhaps (for a one of the more central characters in the play) the least involved in the disastrous affairs of Hamlet and Claudius, and is seen as someone who does not wish any harm upon anybody. Shakespeare’s portrayl of Ophelia is incredibly sympathetic and seems to register the unfairness of the way Ophelia is treated. Her most tragic demise is a result of the extreme patriarchal pressures and circumstances (out of her control) that cause her mental breakdown.
- Ophelia is emotional and fragile. Due to the fact that women in this age were extremely dependent on men, Ophelia likewise heavily relies and depends upon the men of her life (Polonius and Hamlet). Similarly, Ophelia is insecure and emotional partly in due to her young age (picture teenage girl) and partly in due to a society that disables her from being independent and strong. This is seen when Ophelia is devastated by Hamlet’s striking insults and how she seeks comfort from her father, Polonius (who is too self-centered to properly tend to her daughter’s feelings). As such, having a selfish father who is then murdered by her verbally abusive boyfriend who seems to have gone mad, causes her to break down mentally. Her fragility is best shown when she falls into the brook, and neglects to save herself but simply lets herself go with the flow of the brook (suicide). However, her death is so fitting to her personality and admittedly beautiful in the sense that one can picture the scene: She is gently ebbing down the brook with her overflowing dress, fully extended so that she looks like an angel, and she is surrounded by flowers while singing a sweet melody pending her death. Indeed, her death is symbolic of how she lives her life - that being “going with the flow”.
Symbolic Representation: A flower. See "Flowers" in Imagery tab.