Ophelia: help in Greek CHARACTERISTICS - she is tragic, not tragic hero - used to demonstrate Hamlets point of view on women

- no identity= governed by men in her life - obedient to her family, meek - invertebrate: doesnt stand up for herself - sheltered girl, nave, doesnt truly know the ways of the world
Very maidenly, flowery character purity

Described by Described by Described by Described by Ophelia

Laertes (nature, flower): true brotherly affection Polonios (military, government, order): property, chattel pre- mad Hamlet (beauty, celestial): romantic love post-mad Hamlet (nunnery): transfer of view of mother unto

Ophelia chooses her family over Hamlet: is all she knows and stable in her life, choosing Hamlet over her family is risky + she was taught to be obedient
o o "I shall obey my Lord" (1.4.10) She is asked to spy on Hamlet and she obeys (3.1.4)

She will always be property one way or another Does not defend herself from Hamlets abuses. (Weakness of mind and will) Describes herself as deject and wretched Anglo-Saxon Words!

MAD OPHELIA (4.5) - finally voices her own opinion: displays her inner conflicts and plight - traumatized: revert to innocent, childish - Queen: true love is dead and gone - King: "Larded with sweet flowers / Which bewept to the grave did not go / With true-love showers" (4.5.38-40) o Flowers wet with tears didnt go to grave: funeral fast: Polonius/ King Hamlet - St. Valentines Day song: parallels her situation: unchaste= no husband! FLOWERS: - Rosemary =remembrance and pansies= thought: Laertes - Fennel =flattery and columbines =ingratitude :King - Rue =sorrow and repentance: Ophelia and Queen ("you must wear your rue with a difference" (4.5.183)) - Daisy =dissembling: Queen/ King. - Violets= faithfulness: No one o "I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died: they say he made a good end" (4.5.184-186).

SIMILARITIES IN MADNESS Means to confront death and betrayal Helplessness toward fathers manipulation Causes more surveillance= alienation DIFFERENCE IN MADNESS Ophelia: permanent madness, doesnt cause harm to anyone, childlike, psychological state Hamlet: "...To put an antic disposition on". (1.5), "I am but mad north-northwest...". (2.2),"...essentially am not in madness / But mad in craft." (3.4) -Hints on not being truly mad -his madness results in everyones death - means for revenge WHY HAMLET CONTEMPLATES SUICIDE to be or not to be + life - the abuse from superiors - the insults of arrogant men - the pangs of unrequited love - the inefficiency of the legal system - the rudeness of people in office - the mistreatment good people have to take from bad - mother married fathers murderer o fathers murderer= uncle (INCEST) - everyone betrays him: family, friends, love - hes lonely, no future, no support - damned by fate - What he has to lose: his name in the publics eyes, murderer goes free, afterlife (not truly mad) WHY OPHELIA PROBABLY COMMITTED SUICIDE - she grows without maternal guidance - under the beck and call of masculine authority figures: grows up sheltered o Affection, pooh! You speak like a green girl/ Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. (1.3.101-102) - her love goes insane and slanders her: reputation is ruined: cannot marry: not the path of an Anglo-Saxon woman: must remain the rest of her life with her father/brother - her father is murdered by the man who professed love to her - brother is in another country o no one to take care of her - What she has to lose: nothing

Ophelia goes mad because she has grown sheltered and lacks resilience skills to deal with tragedy; has more compelling reasons for suicide than Hamlet. - Hamlet pretense of madness became Ophelias reality - Ophelias insanity was a product of confusion due to the love/ hate caused by her father and Hamlet