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Ophelia:PitifulorInsightful?

KaisaAnderson

ThoughthecharacterofOpheliaseeminglyhadasmallroleintheplayof
Hamlet
,she
hadagreatimpactoncharacterssuchasHamlet,Laertes,Polonius,andevenGertrude.Allof
thesecharactershadoneunderlyingfeelingtowardOphelia.Theypitiedher.WasOphelia
reallysuchapitifulcharacter,orwereherintentionsgreater?DidOpheliatrulyloveHamlet,
andwereallheractionsforhim?Mostimportantly,wasOpheliasmadnessfeignedor
purposeful?AlikethecharacterofHamlet,nooneknowsforsurewhethertheirmadnesswas
trulysooronlyingeniousacting.
Opheliamaybethemostpitied,misunderstood,andunderestimatedcharacterinthe
entireplayof
Hamlet.
ThecharacterofGertrudeespeciallyassociatesOpheliawithinnocence.
Shepitiedthegirl,especiallyatherburialinwhichshesaid:
Sweetstothesweet.Farewell!
IhopedthoushouldsthavebeenmyHamletswife.
Ithoughtthybridebedtohavedecked,sweetmaid,
Andnothavestrewedthygrave.
ThisshowedthepurethoughtsshehadofOphelia.Laertesparticularlypitiedhisyoungersister.
Heweptforher,mostlywhenshehadgonemad.HamletpitiedOphelia,sayingtheline,Get
theetoanunnery!WasOpheliatrulysuchapitifulcharacterShakespearemadeherouttobe?
Itis,forthemostpart,evidentthatOphelialovedHamlet.AllofOpheliasactionsmay
havebeenbecauseofherloveforhim.Sheseeminglywentmadwhenherfatherdiedbythe

handsofthemansheloved.Wasshemad,orwassheprovingapointtoHamlet?Didshe
perhapsbelievethattakingherownlifewouldopenHamletseyesandproveapoint?Her
suicidemusthavehadamotivegreaterthanherlosinghermind.Perhapsherimmenselovefor
Hamletmixedwithingeniousmadnesscausedhertoendherlife.
OpheliasloveforHamletcaneasilybeseenasacauseforhermadness,buthadshe
reallygonecrazy?Opheliawasfoundroamingaroundthecastle,singingasongofherfathers
dead,butthereismoretoit.Shepassedoutherbsandflowerstotheothers,eachhavinga
distinctpurpose:
There'srosemary,that'sforremembrancepray,
love,remember:andthereispansies.That'sforthoughts.
There'sfennelforyou,andcolumbines:there'srue
foryouandhere'ssomeforme:wemaycallit
herbgraceo'Sundays:Oyoumustwearyourruewith
adifference.There'sadaisy:Iwouldgiveyou
someviolets,buttheywitheredallwhenmyfather
died:theysayhemadeagoodend,
ForbonnysweetRobinisallmyjoy.
Shehadrosemaryforrememberanceandpansiesforthought,naturallytorememberPolonius
well.ShethengaveGertrudefennelandcolumbines,symbolizingadultery.Shethenhanded
ruetoClaudiustosymbolizerepentanceandadaisytorepresentunhappylove.Shethensaid
shewouldgivehimvioletstorepresentfaithfulness,buttheyalldriedupwhenPoloniusdied.

Opheliawaswellawareofthesituationbeforeher,andsheseemedinherrightmindto
becleverlyhandingouttheherbstothoseinneed.Thosearoundherdidnotunderstandshe
feignedhermadnessandspokeandmovedwithpurpose.Eveninherdeath,shedecorated
herselfinflowers,allowingherclothestosoakandpullherunderneaththewater.Shewaswell
awareofwhatshewasdoing.Wasshedoingittoproveapoint?Shemayhaveconcluded
endingherownlifewouldprovokeaction,primarilyinHamlet,anditdid.
Opheliamaybeseenasonlyalamentable,supportingrolein
Hamlet
,butthereismuch
moretoher.PerhapsOpheliasimplydidgomadandkilledherself,oritisnotthatsimple,for
madnessneveris.Alongwithmadnesscomesbrilliance.Thetwocomehandinhand.Hamlet
andOpheliawereprimeexamplesofthis.ItisarguedthatHamletwaseitheramadmanora
genius.Hewasboth.Ifamanisagenius,ishenotseenasamadman?Themostintelligentof
personsareseenascrazy.Ophelia,thesameasHamlet,sharedthebrillianceofalunaticand
manipulatedtheemotionsofotherstocausedesiredchange.

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