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 Character of Ophelia in Hamlet In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the character Ophelia plays an important role in the elaboration of the plot. In the beginning, she is in a healthy state of mind, in love with Hamlet, yet controlled by her father. During the play she has several troubling experiences involving Hamlet - causing her to become distressed. The death of Ophelia's father leaves her mentally unstable and in a state of madness that eventually leads to her own death.…

Ophelia and Hamlet In 1600, William Shakespeare composed what is considered the greatest tragedy of all time, Hamlet, the tragedy of the Prince of Denmark. His masterpiece forever redefined what tragedy should be. Critics have analyzed it word for word for nearly four hundred years, with each generation appreciating Hamlet in its own way. While Hamlet conforms, without a doubt, to Aristotle's definition of a tragedy, one question still lingers. Did Shakespeare intend for the reader or viewer…

Impact of Ophelia on Hamlet Could the Bard of Avon have created a more innocent and obedient young lady in Hamlet than the victimized Ophelia? I think not. Let us discuss the ups and downs of her life in the play. Michael Pennington in “Ophelia: Madness Her Only Safe Haven,” describes personality traits of the young lady: This is the woman she might have become – warm, tolerant and imaginative. Instead she becomes jagged, benighted and imaginative. . . .Ophelia is made mad…

Frail Ophelia of Hamlet Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare makes it evident that Ophelia is very unstable. She continuously changes her mind about the way she feels. Laertes and Polonius command her to do things that she does not agree with, but she does them with no argument. Afraid to stand up for herself, she stands back and watches everyone else control her life. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia is treated as a marionette with her strings in the hands of the people around her; however…

Hamlet and its Ophelia In Shakespeare’s Hamlet there is an innocent young lady who comes to an undeserved and unbecoming end. She is Ophelia, the subject of this essay. Bryan N. S. Gooch in "Review of The Shapes of Revenge: Victimization, Vengeance, and Vindictiveness in Shakespeare," presents Ophelia as the powerless victim: Harry Keyishian [. . .] clearly presents in Chapter I, "Victimization and Revenge: Renaissance Voices," a useful survey of the problem…

Hamlets Love For Ophelia Although the play Hamlet was written nearly 450 years ago by William Shakespeare, scholars still pose the question, “Did Hamlet really love Ophelia?” I believe Hamlet had feelings for Ophelia, but he never demonstrated true love for her. Several times in the play Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia. If he truly loved her, he would not want to hurt her. When Hamlet accidently killed Polonius, he did not try to console Ophelia. If he truly loved her, he would have been at her…

Hamlet: The Character of Ophelia Concerning the Ophelia of Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet, is she an innocent type or not? Is she a victim or not? This essay will explore these and other questions related to this character. Rebecca West in “A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption” viciously, and perhaps unfoundedly, attacks the virginity of Ophelia: There is no more bizarre aspect of the misreading of Hamlet’s character than the assumption…

and Ophelia in Hamlet The main plot of Shakespeare's Hamlet centers around Prince Hamlet's desire to repay King Claudius for his evil deeds. Around this central action revolve the stories concerning the minor characters of Polonius and Ophelia. Though they do not motivate Hamlet's actions towards the King, these characters act as forces upon Hamlet himself, trying to spur him to do things he does not want to do. Both Polonius and Ophelia try, unsuccessfully, to manipulate Hamlet into…

The Tragedy of Ophelia in Hamlet Sweet and innocent, faithful and obedient, Ophelia is the truly tragic figure in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. "Her nature invites us to pity her misfortune caused not by any of her own self-initiated deeds or strategies"(Lidz 138). Laertes tells us convincingly how young and vulnerable Ophelia is, (act I. iii.10) likening her budding womanhood's destruction from Hamlet to a process as "the canker galls the infants of the spring,/ Too oft before their buttons…