Preview

Ophelia Vs Hamlet

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
800 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ophelia Vs Hamlet
Every actor has their own ways to interpret a characters potential, and is able to use unique ways to portray the character differently. Kate and Helena, both actress presented an different mood and depiction of Ophelia, which leads the madness sense to different approaches. The two Ophelia's have different appearance, different mood, and has different reason for madness, which makes both Ophelia's one and only.

The two version of Ophelia's have contrasting appearances ; it is apparent that there's age difference ,fashion style difference, and mood differences. Kate's Ophelia is more feminize , and seems to be in her early twenties ; beautiful, thoughtful and full of story. At the beginning of the movie, Ophelia wears a buttoned up red dress,
…show more content…
When Polonius dies, in Kenneth Branaugh film, the audience can see Ophelia screaming inside of the castle fence which shows Ophelia was having an emotional break down. The reason why might Ophelia became mad is because she blames herself. In this version of Hamlet, Ophelia and Hamlet used to have a close relationship, meaning Ophelia might think that Hamlet was taking revenge on her because Ophelia chose Polonius over Hamlet. The reason why this version of Ophelia choose to sing sexual lyrics is because Ophelia had a sexual relationship with Hamlet.Ophelia might have thought that out of respect for her Hamlet will not hurt Polonius,but it turns out Hamlet killed Polonius meaning Hamlet does not care about how Ophelia feels even if they had such a close relationship before ;Men can say anything to get the women they want , but when it comes to life and death men's will not consider the well being of the women. Ophelia seems to be depressed and controlled by men, and now that the two men who were controlling her are gone , she chooses to suicide, which is the one last spying she could decide for herself. Franco Zeffirellis version of Ophelia seems to have a much simpler explanation of why Ophelia became mad . Because this version of Ophelia is young and confused, therefore it will make sense that Ophelia is obedient to Polonius like a puppet ; once the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ophelia was another character in the story that lost her mind because of her father’s death. She was mad acting like foolish and this madness has caused her several psychological damages. Ophelia much like Hamlet has experienced the exact same thing when her father has murdered. The dilemma drove her into madness because she had no control over her emotional pain. She might become depressed because of the conflict between her father and Hamlet. She could not handle traumatic experience when she lost her father; she became insane to ultimately drown herself in the river.…

    • 95 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Is Ophelia driven mad by her love for Hamlet, or is she the victim of a society that has created impossible expectations for its women? Had she the license to think for herself, Ophelia might have reasoned…

    • 171 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ophelia was a modern day good girl gone bad. She obeyed her father, Polonius, and brother, Laertes’ wishes to stay away from Prince Hamlet while trying to fight for her love for Hamlet and being herself. Throughout the entire play Ophelia is used as pawn in a game of revenge between Hamlet, Polonius, and King Claudius. Polonius and Laertes forbid Ophelia from seeing Hamlet because they believe that he is only using her for sex, yet Polonius uses her to seek information from Hamlet as though she were his personal spy. Although Hamlet loves Ophelia and genuinely cares for her, he sees the danger he and the royal court pose on her. Hamlet wants to get her away from the corruption while putting on an act for King Claudius to prove that he is really mad, and in that attempt, acts as though Ophelia means nothing to him. He treats her in the same manner he treats his mother and all women for that matter. Hamlet sees all women as ignorant and deceitful. Despite Ophelia’s ability to see through Hamlet’s charade, there is still a sense of pain in the words he speaks to her. “Get thee to a nunnery, go. Farewell...To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell.” (Act 3.1) This had to have been the largest insult to Ophelia ever spoken, but was not meant in that…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ophelia Character Analysis

    • 1631 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The dismissive behaviour of Polonius and Laertes dehumanizes Ophelia and keeps her separated from the decision making “adults”. In one instance, Polonius instructs her to “think [herself] a baby”. In her interactions with these characters, Ophelia’s opinion is not asked for or valued she is largely cast aside or used as a tool. In Ophelia’s first appearance she is constantly reminded by Polonius and Laertes of the “danger of desire”, Laertes advises her that he “best safety lies in fear”. (Act I, Scene III). It is made clear early on that Ophelia is being taught to fear relationships, leading to long term isolation. These repressed emotions may relate to her fixation on desire during her madness. Polonius also dismisses Ophelia’s opinions on Hamlet’s behaviour saying, ”Affection? Pooh! you speak like a green girl”. Throughout all of Ophelia’s interactions with her father she maintains formal titles and language, referring to Polonius as “my lord”. By submitting to the perception of her inferiority Ophelia alienates herself from others. Even before her becoming insane, Ophelia is marginalized and removed from others, a the true outsider within…

    • 1631 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In nearly every tale, the story line contains multiple characters whom depict both good and “evil” qualities. In other words, they reveal opposite interpretations. These drastic differences can be drawn due to the lack of specifics in the reading. One interpretation may portray a character as pure and innocent. In another, they may appear at fault. Shakespeare’s famous play, Hamlet, illustrates this notion through an accumulation of characters. Of the many, Ophelia may strike one as the innocent virgin, or rather the selfish and corrupt whore. An overall analysis may be useful in determining which portrayal is more accurate.…

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nonetheless, from a feminist's point of view, that's the point: Ophelia suffers because she is used as a mere pawn in male intrigue and power struggles. In the end, the pressure of such a situation is far more than she can bear, and so, rendered powerless by men, Ophelia goes mad and drowns…

    • 249 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    The presentation of love is closely related to madness within these texts. The similarities between these texts are usually that the female characters experience some form of mental breakdown due to the actions of the men that they love. For example, Blanche’s madness starts with the death of her husband in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and Ophelia’s madness upon the death of her father in ‘Hamlet’. However, madness isn’t always portrayed by women, as Heathcliff shows symptoms of madness after Cathy’s death in ‘Wuthering Heights’.…

    • 2950 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gender inequality in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is a key discourse which is explored throughout the character of Ophelia. In Elizabethan England, the period of William Shakespeare, women were brought up in a patriarchal society where they were dominated by the authority of men. Women were socially degraded and taught they were inferior to men. Ophelia, is portrayed as weak, submissive and is manipulated continuously by the male figures in her life. Throughout the play, Ophelia is continuously taken advantage of and used as an object by her father Polonius and her love interest Hamlet. In modern day society, women have become more independent and generally have more freedom in regards to social expectations.…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “When it came to property, a woman gave up all of her rights to own land and such things to her husband. He became not only the owner of her physical possessions, but of her as well.” (“Rights of Women” 1). In the play, Ophelia has been under the control of male characters by being used for her possessions, status and lust. "Come, go with me: I will go seek the king./ This is the very ecstasy of love,/ Whose violent property fordoes itself/ And leads the will to desperate undertakings/ As oft as any passion under heaven/ That does afflict our natures.” (2.1.101-106) as mentioned by Polonius. Here it is evident that Polonius uses his daughter for his own desires. When Ophelia talks about Hamlet's unusual behaviour towards her, Polonius immediately depicts this to his advantage. He speculates his daughter's description as madness from love which is in his advantage because it can mean that Ophelia will marry into royalty which would bring him up in status. Polonius's intentions are seen through his desperate actions. Secondly, when Ophelia sings a song "Before you tumbled me,/ You promised me to wed.", he answers: "So would I ha' done, by yonder sun,/ And thou hadst not come to my bed." (4.5.62-66). Ophelia's song indicates the mistake she made of losing her virginity to Hamlet. With the loss of her father, virginity and…

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ophelia is a crutch to Hamlet, a living symbolic representation of Hamlet’s emotions much in the same way that ancient Greek stories used a chorus. Ophelia is the one woman chorus of Hamlet (the play and character both), a fact which makes her one of the most elementally affluent of Shakespeare’s characters in a literary sense. In his play, Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses his character Ophelia’s descent into madness as a parallel…

    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It was also very unfortunate that although other characters in the play viewed Ophelia to be insane, she still had her mind right and said what she wanted to say through songs. It seemed to me that she expressed all of her feelings under a reason of mourning. She seemed to be kind of scary because I could imagine her in my mind, singing those songs with spiritless eyes. I also felt sorry for Ophelia as nobody seemed to be sorry or mourn for Polonius’ death. King Claudius was relieved that it was not him who was slain.…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Hamlet, madness is portrayed through both Hamlet and Ophelia, but while Hamlet feigns his insanity, Ophelia truly goes insane by her father's murder, and the unjust harshness of Hamlet. They each share a common connection: the loss of a parental figure. Hamlet loses his father as a result of a horrible murder, as does Ophelia. In her situation is more severe because it is her lover who murders her father and all of her hopes for her future as well.…

    • 512 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Her weak mindedness and cowardice eventually leads to her suicide; however, the cause of her of emotional weakness is due to forces beyond her control. Ophelia’s subjection to the loss of two loved ones at the same time allocates an overwhelming feeling of devastation that she is incapable of coping with due to her lack of mental strength. Claudius recognizes the intensity and overpowering nature of her suffering as he states that “when sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in batallions,” (IV, iv, 77). Ophelia’s immense losses include the Polonius’ murder, in addition to the Hamlet rejecting her feelings. The death of Polonius not only means the death of her dad additionally the one whom she derives all of her guidance from. The lack of support for Ophelia during this vulnerable period of her life further weakens her emotional stability; furthermore, Hamlet’s unusual conduct leaves Ophelia feeling more isolated and disliked. Hamlet illuminates his unorthodox demeanor to her by denying her mementos and by blatantly denies having ever loved her as states, “I loved you not” (III, i, 118). Denying the remembrances, he alludes to the…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ophelia In Hamlet

    • 1399 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a revenge tragedy play that primarily focuses on Hamlet’s quest to avenge his father’s death. The tragedy of Hamlet, while mostly revolving around Hamlet himself, also concerns the character of Ophelia, and Hamlet’s relationship with her throughout the play. Despite of her absence from all but five scenes, Ophelia manages to receive a considerable amount of attention, as her character becomes truly tragic with her realization that she is powerless politically, socially, and psychologically amongst the men in her life, and without them. As a woman with limited options in a patriarchal society, this realization drives her mad, ultimately resulting in her death.…

    • 1399 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Misogyny In Hamlet

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ophelia’s insanity overtook her as she committed suicide. The Queen says “Which time she chanted snatches of old lauds,/ As one incapable of her own distress/Or like a creature native and endured/ Unto that element” (IV.vii.202-205). Hamlet has contemplated suicide since the beginning of the play. Ophelia’s character progresses much faster than Hamlet’s. Although they are on different tracks, they are both feeling the same ways about life and death. Ophelia decided there was enough hope in the afterlife to commit suicide. The Queen says “Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay/ To muddy death” (IV.vii.207-208). In Ophelia’s death, she is equal to Polonius, Guildenstern, Rosencratz, Polonius, the Queen, Claudius, and Hamlet. Their journeys are parallel even to the point of…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays