Hamlet - Opheliaophelia

Ophelia, one name that triggers many emotions. For women, Ophelia carries a tragic warning-loss of power and agency can lead to madness. Shakespeare, by making Ophelia an obedient sister and daughter, warns the reader that ruin can come to those who give away their power. If one is to look at the importance of women in Shakespeare's Hamlet one needs to look no further than Ophelia. Through her actions, or lack thereof, the danger of man is explored.

Shakespeare writes Ophelia as if she has no purpose except for being obedient to other male characters. In Hamlet every male character has a complex role in being the dominant leader. When Ophelia’s father orders her to no longer see Hamlet she agrees by saying “I shall obey my Lord.” Another quote “ No, my good lord, but as you did command I did repel his letters, and denied his access to me.” In my opinion this is another time where Ophelia is obeying men. Later on in Hamlet Polonius uses Ophelia as a decoy to spy on Hamlet. Again, she does everything she is told to do. Ophelia is not married so that is why she is following all the rules of her father. If she was married she would have to follow her husband's orders because that is expected of woman. I think that this is the start of Ophelia heading towards her madness and later her death.

Ophelia has many leading events up to her madness. Hamlet doesn’t treat Ophelia like the woman she is. This is one reason she goes mad. Hamlet is very abusive to her by saying he never loved her and never will. Hamlet continuously questions if Ophelia is a virgin or not and he also calls her a whore in many different terms. He is very angry when he responds to her and he has a sexual remark every single time she tries to start a conversation. I believe that the Ophelia’s madness is from rejection from Hamlet. Hamlet tells us at the beginning of the book he loves Ophelia. If he truly loves her why is he treating her like a bag of chips.

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