An Inquiry Into Ophelia's Madness- Hamlet

A detailed Summary of An Inquiry Into Ophelia's Madness- Hamlet

The character Ophelia in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet plays a very interesting and important role in the elaboration of the plot. In the beginning, she starts off in a healthy state of mind, in love with her boyfriend Hamlet, yet controlled by her father in regard to their relationship. During the play she encounters several troubling experiences involving Hamlet which cause her to become distressed. Near the end, the death of her father leaves Ophelia mentally unstable and in a state of madness that eventually leads her to death. So, due to all of the unfortunate events that took place with the people she loved the most in her life, Ophelia gradually becomes mad, and in the end passes away.

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, and is much attracted by her beauty. 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, and a highly respected man. Her father demands that she tell Hamlet at once that she can no longer be with him and tells her "I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so slander

Perhaps the biggest cause of Ophelia's madness was the death of her father. The news of Polonius' death was just enough to throw her over the edge of insanity. What's worse, she finds out that her dearest father was murdered by the one she loves, Hamlet. Ophelia now goes completely mad and has lost all control over her mind. She begins singing songs to herself that don't really make sense to anyone. "He is dead and gone, lady, he is dead and gone..." (IV.V.29-30). The King now feels pity for her because she has lost so much, "O! this is the poison of deep grief; it springs all from her father's death." (IV.V.75-6). It becomes clear now, when she sings the song about a maid on St. Valentine's day, that the way Hamlet treated her was a great contribution to her insanity. In this song she says "Quoth she, before you tumbled me, you promis'd me to wed" (IV.V.62-3) You can tell by the words she sings that she is upset because Hamlet slept with her during their relationship and had promised her they'd get married. These are now the final stages of Ophelia's madness. When Laertes comes to visit he is greatly confused by his sister's behavior. She does not talk to him now as herself, she sings and speaks of rosemary's and pansies which are invisible to everyone else. She says goodbye to her brother for the last time, leaving him filled with rage and grief. A short while after, Ophelia is found dead in a river, having drown that afternoon. Some believe her death was suicide and some assume that it was an accident. Unlike the other characters in the play, Ophelia died from loving too much, being too innocent, and too pure. She died because of her virtues, while others perished because of their faults. She did nothing wrong, but so many wro

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Approximate Word count = 1184
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels