Comparing Ophelia In Hamlet 'And King Lear'

How are Ophelia from Hamlet and Cordelia from King Lear similar in their actions and the way they develop the story? Throughout both plays, the main characters (King Lear and Hamlet) progress because of the these women. Whether it is reference to the growth of Hamlet’s insanity or King Lear’s guilt and acceptance, these women pushed their respected plots to their climax.
I have discussed Ophelia in a previous paper but I focused more on her weakness rather than her power over the plot. Ophelia is the epitome of beauty, purity, and innocence. Due to these attributes that she helps develop the story and is also used a moral control in the play. Though Ophelia’s virginity was often questioned, she nevertheless had “unpolluted flesh” and because of her true purity “violets spring” around her when she is buried (Shakespeare, 5:1). It is due to her mutual love for Hamlet that he eventually goes mad. Her sharp contrast with his crude character makes the pair seem awkward but there are many examples of their love for one another.
When her purity is called into question she starts to ignore Hamlet. This leads to Hamlet being cruel and rude to her throughout the rest of the play. Because of his insults, innuendos, and generally
vindictive behavior, Ophelia ends her life. Due his knowledge that he played a major role in his love’s death Hamlet goes further into insanity. Ophelia is used as a way of progressing the plot by creating conflict in Hamlet’s life which moves the plot to its tragic ending. Ophelia also acts a baseline for morals in this story. She is the perfect woman, despite what her father and Hamlet think. She used in the story to magnify improper actions. When Hamlet makes those sexual innuendos at Ophelia, they are ugly in themselves but the fact that they are juxtaposed with Ophelia and her purity makes them all the uglier. Cordelia is very much like Ophelia, especially in her moral role and her lovable characteristics. One of the most notable aspects of Cordelia’s character is her honesty, this is specifically referencing her statement, or lack of thereof, love for her father. “Half my love with him, half my care and duty: Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all” (Shakespeare, 1:1). She was the dutiful and perfect daughter but because of her honesty she lost the love of her father. This of course initiates the chain of events that would be encaptured in the play known as King Lear. Cordelia not only displays honesty but also forgiveness.
Through all the hell that her father put her through Cordelia still loves him and is willing to look past the insanity and rashness her father displays throughout the book. She goes as far as to help her father “repair those violent harms that her two sisters, have in thy reverence made” (Shakespeare, 4:7). Cordelia posses traits that would be desirable in anyone but because her positive traits pointed out the negative in others she was banished. She is the reason for the story, if Cordelia had never spoken her mind the two sisters would have had to deal with her and the French in splitting of England. Because of Cordelia, Lear comes to many epiphanies and progresses as
character. Both Cordelia and Ophelia are pure and perfect women. They look past the flaws in their patriarch’s being, for Cordelia it is Lear and for Ophelia it is Hamlet. They use their positive traits to try and change or outweigh their men’s negative. One of the most interesting similarity is the fact that they both died for an abstract idea and on their own volition. Cordelia was technically killed by Edmund but she knew it would happen if she assisted her father. Ophelia killed herself in order to release her being from man’s hold. While Cordelia “killed herself” in order to share moments and love with her father. Both of these women could look past material things and strive to achieve the more philosophical goals. Cordelia in King Lear and Ophelia in Hamlet both represent the purity that their supporting and main characters lack. Shakespeare uses this element in order to initiate or progress the plot. The women are used as foils of other character but mostly as guiding hands and revealing entities. They both progress the story and they also reveal the meaning or deeper plot of the story through their deaths. Cordelia and Ophelia not only rhyme but also are interchangeable in their plays due to their roles as a moral compass, and their tragic end.