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Relationship between hamlet and Ophelia
Ophelia's role in hamlet
The treatment of women in Shakespeare's plays
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Ophelia’s road to madness The play Hamlet Written by Shakespeare, was set in the late middle ages. Often women in Shakespeare’s plays have a very significant role, Ophelia herself did not have a very significant role in the plot but she did have an effective influence on some characters. During this time period women were oppressed by the dominant sex. This had a very negative effect on women in that society. Because of male dominance, Ophelia was brought to madness which eventually lead to her death. There had been three very male dominant oppressors in Ophelia’s life. These three male figures had no doubt loved her. But there love quickly spread to control. Although they were both hurt over the loss of their dear, sweet Ophelia, the men
Although Hamlet had driven her insane with the complicated signs, she had also been a reason for his insanity as well. Hamlet had been corresponding with Ophelia for some time at the beginning of the play, but she had to cease all feelings and connections with her love because of her father’s orders. This had given a reason for Hamlet to begin acting mad toward Ophelia. He barged into her sewing closet, “As if he had been loosed out of hell/ to speak of horrors-he comes before me.” (Act 2. Scene 1. Lines 92-93). Hamlet had made Ophelia fearful. Hamlet handled her in such a way in her closet, as almost a form of abuse. But when she repelled his letters it drove him mad according to Polonius. Then the two met and discussed their love for each other and he had embarrassed her after they once loved each other. Hamlet claims that he did not love her and instead of being in the palace she should “Get thee to a nunnery! Why wouldst thou be a/ breeder of sinners?” (Act 3. Scene 1. Lines 131-132). He is yelling at her and she just takes it. She just replies as she would reply to anything being said to her. Ophelia has very little power among men. This is another reason Ophelia has gone mad because Hamlet is so bipolar with her. He does not realised that this hurts her and this is leading her down the path to madness. The third and least effective oppressor in her life is her brother, Laertes. He is
Scene 3. Lines 17-22)
This is actually an example of Laertes being a good, older brother and watching out for her so she does not end up hurt. But when her father comes, Laertes takes his side and does not defend her in any way, so he is letting Polonius control her. Then he leaves for England till Act 4, when he returns he comes to find that she has gone crazy and he tries to talk some sense into her but it is too late. Laertes has no way of undoing all the injustice she has received in her life thus far. Later in the play Ophelia is soon pronounced dead, when she is laid in the grave Laertes goes mad and climbs into the grave with her dead body. Then Hamlet jumps into the grave with him and they start fighting over her. Hamlet is getting attacked by laertes and proclaims “ I prithee take thy fingers from my throat;/ For though i am not splenitive and rash,/...Hold off thy hand.” (Act 5 Scene 1 lines 259, 260, 262). This symbolises how even when she is finally at peace she still has men trying to control
Hamlet shows much anger and disrespect to the women in his life. Ophelia’s believing her father’s words breaks Hamlets heart, being the reason for his treatment towards not just her but his mother. Ophelia
Ophelia is portrayed as a sensitive, fragile woman. Easily overpowered and controlled by her brother and father, Ophelia is destined to be weak. Ophelia’s brother, Laertes, warns and pushes Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet and is further supported by their father Polonius. “Polonius enters and adds his warning to those of Laertes. He orders Ophelia not to spend time with Hamlet or even talk to him. Ophelia promises to obey” (“Hamlet” 95). Ophelia’s obedience to her father’s directions prove the side she
By not speaking anything, Hamlet at once strengthens his image as a madman, as well as shrouding his real intentions towards those around him. Just following this passage comes a place in the text where we can see how the character of Ophelia has been manipulated by Polonius. After his "hint" that he might be doing this out of frustrated love, Ophelia says that that is what she truly does fear. (87) Her feelings of pity and concern are shaped by her father in order to fit his case of madness against Hamlet.
In The Tragedy of Hamlet, Shakespeare developed the story of prince Hamlet, and the murder of his father by the king's brother, Claudius. Hamlet reacted to this event with an internal battle that harmed everyone around him. Ophelia was the character most greatly impacted by Hamlet's feigned and real madness - she first lost her father, her sanity, and then her life. Ophelia, obedient, weak-willed, and no feminist role model, deserves the most pity of any character in the play.
Culturally, women have been expected to be soft spoken, gentle, delicate flowers. They should not question a man's opinion or go against their will. Ophelia, in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is an example of a young naive girl who faces the dangers that come from only following what others want, and not thinking for herself. The men in this play use her for their own benefit and she suffers the repercussions, which leads her to madness and “accidental” death.
The story of Hamlet is a morbid tale of tragedy, commitment, and manipulation; this is especially evident within the character of Ophelia. Throughout the play, Ophelia is torn between obeying and following the different commitments that she has to men in her life. She is constantly torn between the choice of obeying the decisions and wishes of her family or that of Hamlet. She is a constant subject of manipulation and brain washing from both her father and brother. Ophelia is not only subject to the torture of others using her for their intentions but she is also susceptible to abuse from Hamlet. Both her father and her brother believe that Hamlet is using her to achieve his own personal goals.
People have mostly seen women inferior to men because women have been thought of as simple-minded and could not take care of themselves. Shakespeare’s Hamlet shows how men treated and thought of women during the 1500s. There was an order most did not interfere with; however, some did. In the 1500s, women were supposed to conform to men’s wishes. Throughout the play, Ophelia first obeyed her father and brother’s wishes, ignored the social norms later, and then went mad, which caused her to never gain her own identity.
Ophelia, in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, represents a self-confident and aware female character. She analyzes the world around her and recognizes the multitude of male figures attempting to control her life. Her actions display not only this awareness, but also maturity in her non-confrontational discussions. Though she is demeaned by Laertes, Polonius, and Hamlet, Ophelia exhibits intelligence and independence and ultimately resorts to suicide in order to free herself from the power of the men around her.
The volume of works that Shakespeare wrote over the course of his lifetime was extensive. In that volume are stories that have influenced so many stories written later, stories that have influenced how many define things like love. Romeo and Juliet is perhaps his best-known work and defined western civilization's concept of love for generations. While slightly lesser known, Hamlet has had much the same degree of impact. This revenge tragedy truly defines the genre and opens up dialogues to many things, like madness. It is often the madness of Hamlet that is delved into but Ophelia too went mad in the end. While her father's murder at the hands of Hamlet undeniably contributed to her suicide, it was not the sole cause. Ophelia was driven to suicide by the way the men in her life treated her.
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 the play Hamlet Ophelia is portrayed as an innocent young woman who does not have a say in anything. All the men control Hamlet, her father Polonius, and her brother Laertes. She is portrayed as inferior to all of them and lets herself be pushed around by them. She is unable to convey her opinions or emotions throughout the play. The men dominate her thoughts and behaviors. In Hamlet, Ophelia’s obedience to her father and brother, along with her dismissal by Hamlet, reveals that women were not allowed to assert their opinions, emotions, or desires in a courtly setting.
Ophelia's insanity is driven by the fact that she has basically been cut out of Hamlet's life. " Like sweet bells jangled, out of time and harsh,/ That unmatched form and feature of blown youth/ Blasted with ecstasy" (III.i. 158-160).Her role as an "innocent lady" is to complete the picture of faithfulness and obedience. Without Hamlet, it is difficult for Ophelia to fulfill her role. Ophelia is completely pushed over the edge whe...
William Shakespeare incorporates many themes and ideas into his play, Hamlet. Of the multiple important ideas, one potentially overlooked is the role of women. Only two of the characters in the play are female. Their lines are scarce, but hold huge importance in relation to the progression and plot of the play. Ophelia, the implied lover of Prince Hamlet, and Queen Gertrude, his mother, do not appear significant, but their actions and characters allow for other events to unfold.
Throughout the play, Laertes’s focus is revolved around the ideology of incest. Another example of incest that was perceived was the relationship between Laertes and Ophelia. Laertes believes that Hamlet is just using Ophelia for sexual satisfaction. He tries to explain it to her, but she is reluctant to listen. Laert...
Ophelia is manipulated by Hamlet to display to the King and the rest of the court that he is in fact mad. When Hamlet enters her room wearing disheveled clothing and acting quite strange towards her, he knows that Ophelia will tell her father and the King. Ophelia then reports this strange occurrence to her father, telling him about his strange composure of taking her “by the wrist and” holding her hard and then “shaking” when he was about to let go. (Act 2, Scene 1 Lines 86-91) The team of Polonius and the King also exploits Ophelia in order to dig deeper into Hamlet’s madness.