Ophelia

Ophelia

A play with great value and quality would best describe one of Shakespeare’s intriguing plays, Hamlet. Events, dilemmas, action, and the characters all contribute greatly to make the play interesting and appealing. Every event that occurs leads to the outcome of dilemmas and action. The characters personalities is what makes the action is even more exciting. Each character has got their own special significance in the roles they play. However Ophelia, the daughter of the Lord Chamberlain Polonius, allows an atmosphere of simplicity and delicacy to surround the play. Her simple nature causes inner thoughts that allow us to question her true character.

From the start of the play Ophelia seems to always keep her distance and speak very little. She is very distinctive of the other characters and keeps to herself most often.

Her first presence in the play takes place when her brother, Laertes, and her father lecture her about keeping away from Hamlet and not believing his love. “Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood,” (1.3. 6) this is said by Laertes as he describes that Hamlet’s love will last for a little while then fade, which makes his love insignificant. Ophelia doesn’t argue and agrees to remember what he said, however she immediately tells him to make sure he follows his own advice, “…and recks not his own rede.” (1.3. 51) Having said this by her displays a quality that is not usually seen. In accepting her brother’s advice she also makes sure he understands that he needs to take his own advice too. Generally with Polonius, who also disfavors Hamlet, she is very respectful and obedient. After a long lecture from him too she says “’tis in my memory locked” (1.3. 86) and “I shall obey my lord” (1.4. 136). In spite of her love towards Hamlet she doesn’t debate the fact that he has not allowed her to see Hamlet anymore.

She tells him the truth about what Hamlet has said or what she feels. Ophelia is the kind of girl who always had her father or brother telling her what to do and what to think. She says, “I do not know, my lord, what I should think”(1.3. 104) when her father asks her if she believes Hamlet’s love. Here she seems dubious and uncertain of her feelings or what she is to do. Ophelia is seen as inexperienced and very innocent for she doesn’t look like she understands love or her emotions.

Due to her inexperience and lack of g...

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...as always confident that he would result with the outcome he wanted. He took advantage of every chance he got. For example the players who performed the play ‘Mouse-trap’. Whereas, Ophelia, unlike Hamlet who ‘acted’ mad, really goes mad and sings her sorrow and mourning through. She doesn’t accept to face reality, for she is now on her own and without her father’s support. This proves that she had always needed someone to tell her what to do and how to feel. And now once her father was gone, there was no one to fill the emptiness she felt.

Concluding, Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, combines a lot of themes and remarkable incidents. Specifically the roles of each character unite to form an extraordinary impression on the play. Particularly, Ophelia’s character is very perceptive and penetrating. She is described as inexperienced, vulnerable, sensitive and very frail. Leading a very protective life doesn’t result in a positive end for her. Her attitude circles the play with a sense of deep warmth and the role she plays helps express the mood of the play. Although very different from Hamlet’s determined character, she has her own urbane manner.

Quotes where taken from the play.