FREE ESSAY ON OPHELIA

OPHELIA

The character of Ophelia in William Shakespeare's play hamlet plays a very interesting and
important role in the elaboration of the plot. In the beginning, she is in a healthy
state of mind, in love with her boy friend Hamlet, yet controlled by her father in regard
to their relationship. During the play she encounters several troubling experiences
involving hamlet which cause her to become distressed and confused. In act III scene 4
after the death of her father leaves Ophelia mentally unstable and in a state of madness
that eventually leads her to take her own life. 
Ophelia and Hamlet share a common connection: the loss of a parent. Hamlet loses his
father as a result of a horrible murder, as does Ophelia. In her situation is more severe
because it is her lover who murders her father and all of her hopes for her future as
well. Ultimately, it is also more detrimental to her character and causes her melancholy
and grief to quickly turn to irretrievable madness. One incident in the play which helps
in the course of Ophelia's madness. When hamlet receives the letter from Ophelia he is
affected terribly by her words. The next time she is surprised and even bit frightened by
his behavior. This is placing stress and mental toll on Ophelia.
"Denied the opportunity for healthy psychic maturation, Ophelia appears never to have
been allowed to develop a discrete sense of self apart from those others (father and
brother, and later hamlet) who fashioned her identity to suit their needs"(internet
web.english).
He did not look like he usually does, and he acted very strange towards her. He held her
by the wrist and stared deeply into her face, long and hard, then storms out, leaving her
intensely troubled and saddened. After that she tells her father, and he believes that
Ophelia's love is what made him mad. "that hath made him made" (II.i.110). Polonius then
goes to the King and Queen to make him aware of hamlet's strange behavior and plains to
spy on hamlet to prove he's gone mad. Ophelia now is left feeling guilty. "He obviously
loved her but mistreated her so the people in hamlets life would not think of him getting
revenge but that he was crazy over Ophelia" (Internet starbuck). When she sees Hamlet
later she tries to speak with him, but is rejected coldly. He does not listen to and
screams harsh words leaving her feeling worthless and embarrassed. "...I love you not."
(III.i.119). "Get thee to a nunnery." (III.i.121)"...you jig, you amble, and lisp, and
nickname God's creatures, and make you wantonness you ignorance. Go to, I'll no more
on't" (III.i.146-48). This causes Ophelia to become slightly disturbed. She sits weeping
while her father and the king practically step on her frail body to find out more reasons
for hamlet's actions. In this state of mind all she can say is "woe O is me, to have seen
what I haven seen, what I see!"(III.i.163-64). So, because of Hamlet's rudeness and
rejection through this part of the play, Ophelia is driven even more closer to insanity.
Ophelia is very beautiful to the eye and is admired by all. Ophelia's and hamlets love
for each other in the beginning was very promising. Following the death of his father
hamlet falls in love with her, and is much controlled by her father. And her father being
Polonius, the advisor to the king Claudius, a very respectable position. Polonius demands
that she speak with hamlet at once to say that he can no longer be with him and he tells
b
to give words or talk with the lord hamlet. 
Look to't I charge you. Come your ways."(I.iii.132-35)
She feels very unimportant and helpless now, and because of this develops a lack of
emotional confidence and strength. This would be the beginning of the fall out of
Ophelia's mental sanity. 
A key role of Ophelia character is her irretrievable loss of a love object her only
parent is dead and the man she loves is not only disliked by her father and brother but
kills Polonius her father. Which prompts her ludicrous behavior. "Ophelia...a lyric
hysteria of a fragile, overly-sensitive girl" (internet web.English). Ophelia died from
from loving to much, too pure, and too innocent while all others perished due to their
faults. 
Ophelia's part in hamlet is very crucial to the plot it ties in hamlets absence of mind
as well as Ophelia's own madness. Through the play she comes across many dramatic
conflicts that deal with her lover, father, brother, and own mental diversity.
Essay 2
Ophelia
Brett Allred
Ms. Freeman
English 1302
October 25, 2000
Works Cited
"Hamlet in discussion" October 24, 2000 www.Starbuck.com/shakespear/hamlethall/999.html 
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978) October 23, 2000
http://web.english.ufl.edu/exemplaria/danenote.htm 
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet
The character of Ophelia in William Shakespeare's play hamlet plays a very interesting
and important role in the elaboration of the plot. In the beginning, she is in a healthy
state of mind, in love with her boy friend Hamlet, yet controlled by her father in regard
to their relationship. During the play she encounters several troubling experiences
involving hamlet which cause her to become distressed and confused. In act III scene 4
after the death of her father leaves Ophelia mentally unstable and in a state of madness
that eventually leads her to take her own life. 
Ophelia and Hamlet share a common connection: the loss of a parent. Hamlet loses his
father as a result of a horrible murder, as does Ophelia. In her situation is more severe
because it is her lover who murders her father and all of her hopes for her future as
well. Ultimately, it is also more detrimental to her character and causes her melancholy
and grief to quickly turn to irretrievable madness. One incident in the play which helps
in the course of Ophelia's madness. When hamlet receives the letter from Ophelia he is
affected terribly by her words. The next time she is surprised and even bit frightened by
his behavior. This is placing stress and mental toll on Ophelia.
"Denied the opportunity for healthy psychic maturation, Ophelia appears never to have
been allowed to develop a discrete sense of self apart from those others (father and
brother, and later hamlet) who fashioned her identity to suit their needs"(internet
web.english).
He did not look like he usually does, and he acted very strange towards her. He held her
by the wrist and stared deeply into her face, long and hard, then storms out, leaving her
intensely troubled and saddened. After that she tells her father, and he believes that
Ophelia's love is what made him mad. "that hath made him made" (II.i.110). Polonius then
goes to the King and Queen to make him aware of hamlet's strange behavior and plains to
spy on hamlet to prove he's gone mad. Ophelia now is left feeling guilty. "He obviously
loved her but mistreated her so the people in hamlets life would not think of him getting
revenge but that he was crazy over Ophelia" (Internet starbuck). When she sees Hamlet
later she tries to speak with him, but is rejected coldly. He does not listen to and
screams harsh words leaving her feeling worthless and embarrassed. "...I love you not."
(III.i.119). "Get thee to a nunnery." (III.i.121)"...you jig, you amble, and lisp, and
nickname God's creatures, and make you wantonness you ignorance. Go to, I'll no more
on't" (III.i.146-48). This causes Ophelia to become slightly disturbed. She sits weeping
while her father and the king practically step on her frail body to find out more reasons
for hamlet's actions. In this state of mind all she can say is "woe O is me, to have seen
what I haven seen, what I see!"(III.i.163-64). So, because of Hamlet's rudeness and
rejection through this part of the play, Ophelia is driven even more closer to insanity.
Ophelia is very beautiful to the eye and is admired by all. Ophelia's and hamlets love
for each other in the beginning was very promising. Following the death of his father
hamlet falls in love with her, and is much controlled by her father. And her father being
Polonius, the advisor to the king Claudius, a very respectable position. Polonius demands
that she speak with hamlet at once to say that he can no longer be with him and he tells
b
to give words or talk with the lord hamlet. 
Look to't I charge you. Come your ways."(I.iii.132-35)
She feels very unimportant and helpless now, and because of this develops a lack of
emotional confidence and strength. This would be the beginning of the fall out of
Ophelia's mental sanity. 
A key role of Ophelia character is her irretrievable loss of a love object her only
parent is dead and the man she loves is not only disliked by her father and brother but
kills Polonius her father. Which prompts her ludicrous behavior. "Ophelia...a lyric
hysteria of a fragile, overly-sensitive girl" (internet web.English). Ophelia died from
from loving to much, too pure, and too innocent while all others perished due to their
faults. 
Ophelia's part in hamlet is very crucial to the plot it ties in hamlets absence of mind
as well as Ophelia's own madness. Through the play she comes across many dramatic
conflicts that deal with her lover, father, brother, and own mental diversity.
Essay 2
Ophelia
Brett Allred
Ms. Freeman
English 1302
October 25, 2000
Works Cited
"Hamlet in discussion" October 24, 2000 www.Starbuck.com/shakespear/hamlethall/999.html 
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978) October 23, 2000
http://web.english.ufl.edu/exemplaria/danenote.htm 
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet
Bibliography
none