How Does Gertrude Present Ophelia's Insanity In Hamlet

The play unsurprisingly introduces Ophelia through a scene with her brother Laertes in the start of Act I, Scene III. Before departing for Paris, Laertes warns that Hamlet’s love is “Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, the perfume and suppliance of a minute, no more” and that he cannot commit to Ophelia for he truly belongs to the nation (1.3.8-11). Afterwards, her father Polonius orders her to stop seeing Hamlet, and she complies despite her unhappiness to let go of a man she genuinely cares for. This act displays controlling behavior that seals Ophelia’s fate. Polonius becomes convinced that his order led to Hamlet’s insanity and leads him to meddle in Hamlet’s business before being killed by Hamlet. Subsequently, Ophelia is driven mad and

Ophelia can be portrayed as having little power, which is evident in her obedience to her father in 1.3. However, Ophelia's final act is of defiance in her use of flowers to mark the bad qualities of other characters. The symbolism of the flowers is a very feminine way to express that the corruption of Denmark is disguised, much like how the pretty flowers represent something deeper. Ophelia dies a tragic death, but it is unclear whether or not it was suicide, but Shakespeare's imagery depicts her death in a frail beauty, much like the flowers earlier in the act represent qualities such as innocence are

However, later wishes to engage in sexual intimacy with her. His indecisiveness drives innocent Ophelia insane, which later becomes one of the causes of her suicide. Ophelia’s father, Polonius who is also the Lord Chamberlain of Denmark, is mistakenly murdered by Hamlet in an attempt of spying over Hamlet and his mother, Gertrude as they discuss about the cause of Hamlet’s strange behaviour. Polonius’s death and Hamlet’s betrayal causes Ophelia to lose her sanity and later becomes the very cause of her death, as she, while collecting flowers, falls into a sea of mud and drowns to death. Gertrude’s overhasty marriage to his uncle, Claudius and her incestuous relationship with Claudius irritates Hamlet to a point that he almost murders her and makes her feel guilty for her treachery.His lack of determination guided him to such paths of criticism and accusation directed towards other characters, which serve absolutely no purpose to his ambitions and also had detrimental impacts on the people around him. Harming others didn’t serve his ambitions as it made them loathe him and he destroyed any chances of them helping him pursue his goals. People criticise others when they themselves are afraid of being criticised. He sets his focus on appraising others despite of having several imperfections himself. This shows his lack of interest in himself and the fact that he fails to understand that disapproving of other’s actions would not help him accomplish his

Elbert Hubbard, who is an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher, once said, “There is no failure except in no longer trying.” Hubbard’s idea rings true for Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. She should have known this before she let go of something important in her life. Ophelia had a love for Hamlet that she thought was true, but a series of events that took place have broken that love. In the end, she was driven insane from her grief. Ophelia has the fatal flaw of being a stereotypical girl during the time period this book was written. She is obedient, unable to take action, and excessively dramatic. While these traits may be beneficial at times, they led to her insanity and, consequently, her death.

Hamlet and Ophelia are in love but are not allowed to be together for Ophelia’s father and brother Laertes feel as though Hamlet’s intentions are not true and that she will not be married to him for he can not pick to whom he shall marry. This creates conflict between them and Hamlet uses it as fuel to manifest his illusion. He is rude, ignorant and chaste to Ophelia and tells her to go to a nunnery and commit herself to the lord (Act 2, scene 5). He drives away those he loves for they are not acknowledging his father’s death as he would desire and have moved on with their lives. This deepens his thirst to prove Claudius 's guilt and give him justification for his action. With

In the Shakespearean play “Hamlet” Ophelia goes through a number of emotions as each setting and character changes. Wgen we first meet Ophelia in Act 1 scene 3 she was having a conversation with her brother about amlet. It was a meeting set up with her brother over his concerns for the love of her life. He does on to sat that hamlet is only flirting with her and that he only loves her becayse she is young and hot. Basically his love for her wont last long. Instead of opposing, Ophelia simplu agrees and takes his words as advice. Ophelia then displays obedience by quickly telling her father what polonius has asked her to keep in mind. Ophelia is sent into a state of hurt throughout the middle of hamlet. Her father begins it by asking if she believes in hamlet affection. From then on it left Ophelia questioning whether or not Hamlet felt the same way as she did. But when Hamlet decided to go crazy, Ophelia did not receive the answer that she was

Very palpable is the moral difference between Ophelia and Gertrude. Disregarding the “erotically charged” songs (Lehmann and Starks 2) sung by the young girlfriend of the hero in her maddened mental state shortly before her death, one finds nothing incriminating in her conduct. Quite opposite the criminality of the king’s wife is the innocence of Ophelia – this view is generally expressed among Shakespearean critics. Jessie F. O’Donnell expresses the total innocence of the hero’s girlfriend in “Ophelia,” originally appearing in The American Shakespeare Magazine:

    Gertrude and Ophelia occupy the leading roles for females in the Shakespearean drama Hamlet. As women they share many things in common: attitudes from others, shallow or simple minds and outlooks, etc. This essay will delve into what they have in common.

Ophelia has often been disregarded, with critics and audiences alike labelling her as a sweet, docile and innocent girl yet rather too flaccid for interest. Indeed, feminist critic, Elaine Showalter confirms this in her essay, ‘Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism’ stating that ‘for most critics of Shakespeare, Ophelia has been an insignificant minor character in the play, touching in her weakness and madness but chiefly interesting, of course, in what she tells us about Hamlet’ . This statement is proof that when analysing Ophelia from a feminist perspective, we cannot blindly follow other critics in their generalised labelling of the character as ‘sweet but boring’. We must come to our own conclusions by perhaps digging a little deeper into text we know so well. When exploring Shakespeare’s plays from a feminist perspective we must bear in mind the fact that feminism is very much a 20th century construct. It is consequently very easy to analyse Ophelia from a modern angle, placing the same standards and expectations on the character as we

The most powerful elements of both beauty and aesthetic realism in Ophelia’s death are the flowers she wears as she drowns. Shown as aesthetic scenery and enhancing the beauty of the scene while taking away the meaning. Ophelia dresses herself in a particular arrangement.The daisies symbolize both unhappy love and innocence or purity; together, these flowers represent the maiden side of Ophelia, notwithstanding the ways of the world. “The Danish girl is not a passive victim—in fact, she has active contempt, shown between the lines Shakespeare has her say, and also through what she doesn’t say”.Gertrude tells of Ophelia’s death in a prettied verse, “willow grows aslant a brook.” and the “mermaid-like” way she laid in the pond drowning (IV.VII.100).

Hamlet’s self-indulgence contrasts with the simplicity and humanity demonstrated in Ophelia. Ophelia is disinterested in philosophical contemplation and her life is constructed externally through the love of people around her, especially Hamlet. Ophelia is uninfected with the pessimism of Hamlet and tries to see people as made up of goodness rather than corruption. In the beginning, although Ophelia is attracted to Hamlet, Polonius and Laertes warn her not to see Hamlet because they believe he is selfish. When Ophelia converses with Hamlet, Hamlet renounces that he never loved her in spite of the fact that he harbors a romantic attachment to the girl. The progression of the play makes the audience discern that Hamlet is using the girl as an outlet for his rage against his society. Hamlet is bound to distress Ophelia with his cynicism and the inability to appreciate love from the people around him. In the end, Hamlet causes so much

Ophelia’s and Hamlet’s love for each other in the beginning was very real. Following the death of his father Hamlet falls in love with her. Ophelia’s beauty is what catches Hamlet’s attention. It is not uncertain, however, that Ophelia is very much controlled by her father. She is the daughter of Polonius, the chief advisor to the new King Claudius. Her father demands that she tell Hamlet at once that she can no longer be with him. Polonius states, "I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look to t, I charge you. Come your ways." (I.iii.132-35). Polonius is making decisions for his daughter, regardless if she really loves Hamlet or not. She feels very unimportant and helpless now, and because of this, develops a lack of emotional confidence and strength. All she can reply is "I do not, my lord, what I should think." (I.iii.104). She is used to relying on her father s direction and has been brought up to be very obedient. As well, her brother Laertes agrees with what their father is saying. He also tells Ophelia that Hamlet is no good for her, "Perhaps he loves you not" (I.iii.16). He thinks that Hamlet

Hamlet spends most of his time plotting to kill the King, not obsessing over a girl. Despite her conversation with Hamlet in 3.1 where he suggests that she become a nun, she still believes that they are in love. Her love for Hamlet is sparked once again in 3.2 where he decides to sit by her at the play. Hamlet’s mother, the Queen, asks Hamlet to sit down and watch the play next to her. Hamlet replies, “No, good mother. Here’s metal more attractive.” This statement, along with the preceding flirtatious conversation, leads Ophelia to believe that Hamlet loves her. However, Ophelia becomes consumed with her own madness when Hamlet murders her father. After Ophelia displays her insanity to the King, the Queen, and her brother Laertes, she ends her suffering by committing suicide in the river. Unlike the death of Polonius, Hamlet is physically uninvolved in her death. In Ophelia's mind though, he was in love with her and he had betrayed her with the murder of her father. This is what ultimately broke her heart and prompted her to take her own life. Since Ophelia killed herself, she was considered a disgrace to the church and was not given a normal funeral. When Hamlet arrives at the funeral of Ophelia he exclaims, “What, the fair Ophelia!” (5.1.238) While he does show sympathy for Ophelia's death, these feelings of compassion are far too belated to have any meaning to her brother Laertes.

Ophelia may perhaps be one of the most classic examples of naivety and innocence within Shakespearean literature. Her short and tragic life was consumed by the governance and regulation from the men closest to her. This truth remains the reality of many women present in Shakespeare’s plays, including Queen Gertrude. These women merely serve as vessels for forthcoming events.

To begin with, Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship is intricately intertwined, neither recognizing their love for one another, both oppressed by their contrasting situations. Hamlet is forced to feign madness as to disguise his true intentions, “how strange or odd soe’er I bear myself,” (Ham.1.5.171) in which he alerts Horatio and Marcellus in advance of his possible abnormality as the plot develops. Meanwhile, Ophelia is forced to play part as a puppet to Polonius and Claudius’s scheme in uncovering the mystery to Hamlet’s madness. Claudius is concerned at Hamlet’s abnormal behavior and believes he has gone insane. Hamlet is aware of their presence and lashes out at Ophelia, “Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of / sinners?” (3.1. 123-124), torn with betrayal at Ophelia’s dishonesty. Additionally, his aberrant demeanor was a means to befuddle and evade his hidden audience, not because he truly despised Ophelia. In fact, this is clarified after Ophelia’s death, “I loved Ophelia” (Ham. 5.1. 255). The whole misunderstanding aggravates Hamlet’s love affair with Ophelia, both victims of the unfortunate situation playing out against their odds. Hamlet presumes on his end, unable to advance in his relationship with Ophelia, for he must succeed in achieving his father’s last wish. Hamlet’s surrounding relationships