Ophelia Research Paper

The book, Reviving Ophelia, is about the hardships girls go through when they are growing up and trudging through puberty. As the author Mary Pipher states it, adolescent girls tend to lose their “true selves” in order to fit in and comply with the standards that society sets for women. Pipher, a practicing therapist, uses her own case studies to show how pressures put on girls forces them to react in often damaging ways. In most case studies she tells the audience how she helped these girls heal and regain control of their lives. It seems that her primary goal is to warn people of what certain effects can have on girls and what not to do. The one thing that Pipher tends to overlook is what parents can do right to raise healthy

     Mary Pipher, author of the book Reviving Ophelia, has made many observations concerning young adolescent girls in our society. She wrote this book in 1994, roughly eleven years ago. Although some of her observations made in the past are not still accurate in today’s world, there are many that are still present in 2005. The primary focus of Pipher’s comments is to explain how young girls are no longer being protected within our society.

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

Ophelia loved her brother and he loved and cared for her too. Family was very important to Laertes and his obsession with them is what gets him killed. Ophelia wishes for her brother to focus on his thoughts and faithfulness as they are experiencing the same pain from the loss of their father. Since Polonius’ killer has not yet been revealed, she wants Laertes to find the killer and bring justice for their family. Ophelia continues to sing, “There’s fennel for you, and columbines,” (4.5.180-181). The fennel and columbines are for the king, Claudius. The audience in Shakespeare's time would have understood the first to mean flattery and the second to mean male adultery and foolishness, because once fennel is picked, it wilts quickly, it becomes limp and loose with very little life left in it. The greek word for fennels stems from mariano, meaning to grow thin; she’s playing off of his love for flattery by presenting it first and then the columbines. The columbine can be known as the "emblem of deceived lovers," and unfaithful marriage, and is a symbol of ingratitude and faithlessness. Claudius married Hamlet’s mother after two short months following his own brother’s death. That raises suspicion for a possible love affair occurring before Hamlet Sr.’s passing. Claudius took his own brother’s life just to be king and have power and wealth showing his selfishness and foolish ways. By

When someone who acts normally suddenly goes mad, there must be a reason for it. After reading the tragedy of Hamlet by Shakespeare, reasons are left to wonder who and what caused Ophelia’s madness. Is it Hamlet or her father, Polonius, that causes Ophelia’s madness? Many might argue that her madness arises as a result of Hamlet being sent away to England, but after thorough research, it is also made clear that Ophelia's madness is linked to the actions that Hamlet took. Ophelia’s madness cannot be pinned to one point in the play, factors play a role in why Ophelia lost her sense.

My first reaction to this movie even just as I read the title of this movie “Reviving Ophelia” was why does this girl need to be revived what has happened to take her this deep. Then I read the summary which went something like this two sisters have to navigate the difficulties of raising a teenage daughte each. As I would know since my mother is quite like one of these mothers. One of the daughters has the seemingly perfect life, perfect boyfriend, perfect friends everything. The other has a single mother and is just trying to figure out who she is and how to get attention from her busy mom without fighting.

(Caitlin) In Hamlet I think Shakespeare added rosemary as one of the flowers Ophelia has because she just wants to be remembered by the people she loves. She wants Hamlet to remember the times they shared together. She

Throughout the play Hamlet, Ophelia is associated with floral imagery. Her father, Polonius presents her with a violet, she sings songs about flowers when she turns mad, she drowns

figure in a family is the father, as fathers traditionally have a fair amount of control over

I like to believe that I am an independent thinker and that I do not “buy into” the Ophelia Syndrome. When I was growing up, my dad helped me try to escape this Syndrome by always asking, “What would you do” or “What do you think”? I was allowed to come up with good ideas, bad ideas, silly ideas, or far-fetched ideas; it didn’t really matter. I believe that my father was teaching me that my ideas and thoughts were important and valuable. To this day, I appreciate those moments of encouragement and freedoms.

The scene begins with Gertrude talking with a Gentleman and Horatio. The Queen does not wish to talk to Ophelia due to her mental state, but the Gentleman convinces Gertrude to take pity on Ophelia and speak to her. The Gentleman further explains to the others about how Ophelia has been driven mad by her father’s death, since she is irritable and speaks nonsense. After this, the Queen makes a comment to herself about how she feels that she is guilty and sinful. Ophelia then enters the ballroom dressed in all white with no makeup on and starts to sing riddles. These riddles have meanings that the characters present do not seem to understand completely. The first song Ophelia sings is about how to tell the difference between one’s true lover

was written. In this era (and I would say up to the 1900's) women were

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a foul darkness enshrouded the land. Onheila, a horrible awful man, had completely blocked out the sun. There were no clear blue skies, white fluffy clouds, or even no green soft grass. Ophelia evilness and hatred had stained the once blue sky into a dark, deep crimson, the clouds were turned into smoke and the grass was turned into ash. Nothing in this land was the way it used to be, not even the folk. Once the folk had been smiling and free, but now, no one had an item to call themselves, not even themselves. His black, dark aura made the air a deep dirty fog. His general voice felt like chains wrapping around the poor people. Each word he spoke was another bond piece of metal weighing down the person's

Ophelia woke up to the sound of rain drizzling down her window. Up from her wooden bed, it creaked and she put on some nicer clothes. She looked through her window, and the rain wasn’t so bad, but she didn’t feel like having any customers right now. She walked over to her door and went to flip her sign over to OPEN to CLOSED, realizing it was already flipped to the CLOSED side, and left it alone. She was bare foot, and didn’t want splinters on her feet again, as almost all her house was made out of trees. She hurried to her bedside on put on her boots on and made some breakfast.

Playwright Shakespeare commonly depicted sexual desires profoundly. In Hamlet, the protagonist repeatedly sexualized his suitor, Ophelia and mother, Queen Gertrude. However, in Queens extensive detail recapturing the events that resulted in Ophelia’s death. Presents flowers which befit Ophelia's sexuality, and the oppression that followed. Gertrude initially depicts the scene with the “ willow [which] grows aslant a brook” (IV.vii.161). The downward fashion of the willow conveys the image of grief and forsaken love. Which is symbolic of the way Hamlet treated Ophelia’s love for him as he promised to her hand in marriage, took her virginity, then abandoned her during a vital time. The willow is also representative of the grief Ophelia endured as a result of the death of her father, Polonius which progressed her sexuality. This is