The Abuse of Ophelia in Hamlet Essay - 632 Words

The story of Hamlet is a morbid tale of tragedy, commitment, and manipulation; this is especially evident within the character of Ophelia. Throughout the play, Ophelia is torn between obeying and following the different commitments that she has to men in her life. She is constantly torn between the choice of obeying the decisions and wishes of her family or that of Hamlet. She is a constant subject of manipulation and brain washing from both her father and brother. Ophelia is not only subject to the torture of others using her for their intentions but she is also susceptible to abuse from Hamlet. Both her father and her brother believe that Hamlet is using her to achieve his own personal goals. When reading the text, one can comprehend†¦show more content†¦Ophelia has no form of deciphering the cryptic contradictory expectations that the people around her demand from her. In medieval times, the word of the man of the house, in this case being Polonius was to be obeyed by the women of the residence. Also the word of the husband is held to a similar standard. Therefore, Ophelia would have felt an obligation to obey both Hamlet and her father. This however, creates controversy within Ophelia herself due to her commitment to both her father and her unnecessary commitment to Hamlet. Her passion for Hamlet seems to be diffused by her greater sense of commitment to her father. Ophelia is not entirely true to Hamlet in that she lies to Hamlet and tells him that her father is at home when he is actually behind a curtain listening in on the conversation. This is evidence that Ophelia is not able to operate and maintain sanity under the pressure from both sources. In her choice of obedience to her father, she in a sense has chosen the course of her fate (which is inevitable doom). But does Ophelia fulfill the requirements of her day as a woman? One way of lookin g at the issue is the question that was Ophelia driven insane by her desire and love for Hamlet, or was she merely a casualty of a culture that creates unfeasible demands from women? Due to her incapability to create her own decisions, she is vulnerable to the influence of her father and brother andShow MoreRelatedHamlet, By William Shakespeare911 Words   |  4 Pages The male characters in Hamlet continually abuse both Ophelia and Gertrude, physically and psychologically, as a pathetic attempt to gain power and control over the situation. One of the greatest examples of psychological abuse comes from the harrowing scene where Hamlet and Ophelia have their final conversation before Hamlet leaves for England. During this rage-induced altercation, Hamlet refuses to accept Ophelia’s returning of the gifts previously given to her from him, saying â€Å"I never gave youRead MoreAnalysis Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet 952 Words   |  4 PagesTitle Here Madness is a central theme in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Hamlet’s â€Å"antique disposition† (1.5) is used as a tool of manipulation. He acts mad in order to gain the upper hand over his enemies; he makes them believe his mind is elsewhere to distract them from his long-term goal of avenging his father with Claudius’s death. Hamlet’s portrayal of madness varies depending on which character he interacts with; with Polonius, he focuses on wordplay to make him seem outside of the situationRead MoreThe Death and Madness of Ophelia1248 Words   |  5 PagesJonathan Robinson English Comp II Mark Barnes April 19, 2013 â€Å"The Madness Death of Ophelia† Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: By; William Shakespeare In Hamlet, Shakespeare makes it clear that Prince Hamlet is insane or at least on the verge of â€Å"madness.† However, Ophelia (daughter of Polonius, King of Denmark) begins to go mad, as well, after Hamlet kills her father, and the other numerous tragedies that plague her like a black cloud hovering about until her untimely death. In this literaryRead MoreHamlet s Attitude Towards Women Through His Treatment Of Ophelia848 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is revealed about Hamlet’s attitude towards women through his treatment of Ophelia? The character of Ophelia is most often represented in art and literature as morose, frail or and often dead. The fact that these are the traits residual in an audience’s memory since the conception of the character reflects something of her representation and her traditional interpretation. Typical to Shakespeare’s work, the play features a vein of ambiguity, which runs throughout the plot. One of the great ambiguitiesRead MoreThe Insanity Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1517 Words   |  7 PagesThe Insanity in Hamlet Insanity, a theme explored by multiple authors in countless classic selections, has instilled itself as one of the darkest and interesting themes in the literary world. In Shakespeare’s legendary Hamlet, the audience questions the sanity of Hamlet and Ophelia constantly, as well as that of the other characters. As the story progresses, this becomes more and more relevant, bringing the reader to consider the causes and effects of the characters’ mental states on the resolutionRead MoreEssay about Women’s Roles in Hamlet1033 Words   |  5 PagesWomen’s Roles in Hamlet In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare, the author, creates female characters that occupy very different roles than in his other plays. In this play, Hamlet plays opposite two women who are used by the men around them in order to further their own interests. One woman is named Ophelia. In many of Shakespeare’s other plays, he creates women that are very strong and play a very real role in the life of the protagonist. In Hamlet, however, Ophelia occupies a very different role-sheRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1396 Words   |  6 Pagesas major characters. Supporting characters help influence the way the main characters act and what they do. Minor characters not only make the main characters more meaningful, but they also help to develop and drive the plot. Ophelia, falling victim to the neglect and abuse of the other characters and depending solely on the men in her life, becomes the only character who truly becomes mad. Polonius’ concern with how others perceive him, along with his selfishness ultimately leads to him drivingRead MoreThe Awakening And No Fear Shakespeare Hamlet Analysis1006 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel â€Å"The Awakening† and in the play â€Å"No Fear Shakespeare: Hamlet† the two stories relate to feminism in a number of ways. In The Awakening, Mr.Pontellier uses his wife in the beginning for basically watching their kids and taking care of them so that he can go on his business trip which is basically a guys night out. In Hamlet, the young prince is mourning the death of his father and his uncle has now married his mother. The prince is upset because his mother has moved on from the deathRead MoreViolence, Violence And Violence1654 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or to kill someone or something.†, according to Oxford Dictionaries. When most individuals deliberate about violence, abuse and brawls mainly occupy their minds. In today s society though, brutality occurs each and every day in different forms. It could be: abuse, fights, neglect, and it may even be bullying using violence in each and every category mentioned above. Violence can tremendously demolish one s future, family, and friends. PlentyRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1003 Words   |  5 PagesIn Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, women also remain within a confined space of their chastity that is dictated by men. Claudius’ manipulation of Gertrude defines her submissive character as a woman. The family in Ophelia’s life command her actions due to viewing the purpose of her existence to be innocent. Ophelia is also driven to madness at the mercy of Hamlet, taking her own life. Shakespeare uses the few women in Hamlet, who are portrayed as sinful and weak-willed by being manipulated by men, to