She is the daughter of Polonius, the chief councillor to the King of Denmark. Get an answer for 'In Shakespeare's Hamlet, please analyze Queen Gertrude's explanation of Ophelia's death in Act IV, Scene 7.' It is clear that Ophelia is grieving over the death of her father, Polonius, when Horatio says “She speaks much of her father, says she hears…” (Shakespeare IV 4-5), but a secondary cause of Ophelia’s madness may be due to her failed relationship with Hamlet as well. However, despite her, Madness & Death of Ophelia” Gertrude's Description of Ophelia's Death. Thus, before we can continue with the aim of this paper, we must discuss the context of Ophelia’s alleged suicide and the spectrum of ideology on its importance. The pain and grief that she was in was no doubt something she would like to be rid of, and perhaps once the tree branch had broken, and she had fallen into the water she decided that what she had not had the courage to do before had just been done for her. Ophelia’s relationships with these men restrict her agency and eventually lead to her death. She is believed to have killed herself out of madness by drowning herself in a river. analysis of her character. Although we don’t see Ophelia’s death on stage, we hear of it from Gertrude, and she leaves us wondering if the young girl’s death was an accident or an act of suicide. 808 Words 4 Pages. London: John Murray. In “The Tragedy of Macbeth” Lady Macbeth does not show virtue and it all ends with her death. If Ophelia’s intentions were to kill herself, she would likely either poison or stab herself, as they are both quick and easy; drowning is not usually the preferred method of suicide – it is long and painful. Need more help? In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the motif of water to symbolize madness and the unknown in the characters Hamlet and Ophelia. Looking closely at the text describing Ophelia’s death, it can be proved that Ophelia did not initially kill herself. Topic Sentence: The two readers would interpret the symbolism of Ophelia’s actions in madness differently according to their understanding, Name About this essay More essays like this: death in hamlet. Artwork page for ‘Ophelia’, Sir John Everett Millais, Bt, 1851–2 on display at Tate Britain. Connolly eds., ophelias essays on death handbook of child psychology: Vol theoretical models of adaptive behavior caspi bem. All rights reserved, Ophelia's Death-Suicide?. This saying is particularly applicable to William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Passage contributes pathos Pity and compassion for both Ophelia and Gertrude Reveals sympathetic character traits of Gertrude Expresses Ophelia's silent mental decline *Change occurring off-stage* Dramatic contrast to the other malicious deaths … In his reckless pursuit of revenge, Hamlet accidentally strikes Polonius, mistaking him for Claudius. For the way that she did die, her death appears to have been an accident. An Analysis of the Ophelia's Death in Hamlet, a Play by William Shakespeare PAGES 3. She is essentially a casualty of a society that enforces unreasonable expectations for its women and is never afforded the liberty of thinking for herself and making her own judgments and decisions. Thesis: The Death of Ophelia. If Ophelia’s intentions were to kill herself, she would likely either poison or stab herself, as they are both quick and easy; drowning is not usually the preferred method of suicide – it is long and painful. Death is a monster, not only in its handling of a human being, but in its ripple effect on loved ones, friends, and even strangers. We find our suspicion of Ophelia’s death in Act 4, scene 7 in the lines; “When down her weedy trophies and herself Fell in the weeping brook. Was it suicide? 200-201). Hamlet’s confrontation with death, manifested primarily in his discovery of Yorick’s skull, is, like Ophelia’s drowning, an enduring image from the play. The Queen gives a remarkably detailed account of Ophelia´s death leaving one to believe that she may have witnessed the event. By; William Shakespeare Ophelia’s death symbolizes a life spent passively tolerating Hamlet’s manipulations and the restrictions imposed by those around her, while struggling to maintain the last shred of her dignity. Blog. Ophelia’s suicide, Leverenz argues, then becomes “a microcosm of the male world’s banishment of the female, because ‘woman’ represents everything denied by reasonable men.” To liberate Ophelia from the text, or to make her its tragic center, is to re-appropriate her for our own ends; to dissolve her into a female symbolism of absence is to endorse our own marginality; to make her Hamlet’s anima is to reduce her, that have no virtue at all. Rather than straight-up committing suicide, as Gertrude tells us, she accidentally falls in the water and then simply neglects to save herself from sinking. Even in death, she displays yielding and passive behavior: Ophelia does not have the intention of committing suicide, though she fails to save herself from sinking. View Full Essay. The description of Ophelia’s death holds more information about her actions as she drowned. In Hamlet, Shakespeare makes it clear that Prince Hamlet is insane or at least on the verge of “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 the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare many situations and known people can be a possible connection to Ophelia’s mysterious death. After her father’s murder she talks a lot of death, and her madness is apparent when she sings in a completely crazed way: He is dead and gone, lady, /He is dead and gone; /At his head a grass-green turf, /At his heels a stone. Argument 1 Her passive death represents the lack of control she has over her own person and the dependence she has developed on other people. In this literary analysis I will ask, and attempt to explain the symbolism behind the, Ophelia and Plath resemble each other in certain aspects, as both become sexualized as a result of their relationship with their fathers, and face oppression as a result. She’s put in a horrible situation – what things come to mind when someone kills your father? Many Victorian painters like Millais used Shakespeare’s plays as inspiration. n William Shakespeare 's Hamlet, Ophelia’s death is first regarded to as an accident caused by a weak tree branch. By delivering this foliage, Ophelia is asking Laertes to think about and remember somehthing, probably their father's death. Ophelia is driven to madness, as evidenced by her mad songs in act IV, scene V. This loss of sanity causes there to be some different interpretations of whether her death was intentional or not, but through Ophelia’s death she is ironically reborn. Hamlet murders Ophelia’s father, and she is so upset she falls into a stream and downs. Whether Ophelia killed herself, was victim of a tragic plot, or was just another tragic death may never be known. Although Ophelia was not entirely sane, details of how she drowned show that her death was an accident. The cause of Ophelia’s death has been debated over the years. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late by Drake. analysis of her character. Throughout William Shakespeare’s tragic play Hamlet, the nature surrounding Ophelia’s death illustrates her sexuality of virginity. An analysis of Ophelia's death in The Tragedy of Hamlet. However, that theory would only be applicable if it … Ophelia’s actions in the scenes leading up to her death suggest it, but in truth it was caused by a terrible accident. Shakespeare uses characterization and symbolism in “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “Hamlet” to describe how people sometimes do not have virtue and men want to protect, famous paintings Ophelia, followed by Rossetti’s Proserpine, and Hunt’s Awakening Conscience. (2017, Mar 02). In “Hamlet” Laertes cared for his sister Ophelia and tried to protect her virtue until she drowned. Ophelia is one of the most popular Pre-Raphaelite works in the Tate collection. Ophelia's Death Analysis. In Act 4, following the death of Polonius, his daughter Ophelia goes mad. This tragedy was written around 1601 or 1602. in her failed love with Hamlet and sorrow from the death of her father, Ophelia’s madness represents the destructed mind without the Name-of-the-Father and the reconstruction of her liberated subjectivity. William Shakespeare's Hamlet follows the young prince Hamlet home to Denmark to attend his father's funeral. Followed by the … This play is a drama and it takes place in the 16th century in Denmark. Also, Hamlet wanted to protect his mothers virtues, because she married his uncle, until she was accidentally poisoned. Making use of her dutiful and obedient personality, Hamlet victimizes Ophelia and her lack of resistance to his treatment is paralleled in her surrender to the water and subsequent drowning. To muddy death. Although Ophelia’s death initially seems to be suicide, reading the text closely shows us that it was not. Date The picturesqueness of the passage in which [Ophelia's death] is announced may cause it to serve well as material for treatment by Millais in a picture full of imaginative suggestion as well as of detailed nature … Still, that does not mean that she did not want it. Allowing the water to consume her without a fight alludes to Hamlet’s treatment of Ophelia as merely a device in his personal agenda. This essay will pose as an analysis of Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Ophelia’s death was triggered by her mental breakdown due to the loss of her father. Her apparent. Queen Gertrude's Account of the Death of Ophelia From Shakespeare's Hamlet: A New Commentary by Wilbraham Fitzjohn Trench. 190-196) It says that “an envious sliver broke” which means a branch broke, which was the cause of Ophelia falling into the brook. Her clothes spread wide, /And mermaid-like awhile they bore her up,/Which time she chanted snatches of old lauds, /As one incapable of her own distress-(4. This would occur because of their understanding of the symbolism of Ophelia’s actions in madness, the context surrounding Hamlet’s view of her, and their characterization of Ophelia. Ophelia’s death symbolizes a life spent passively tolerating Hamlet’s manipulations and the restrictions imposed by those around her, while struggling to maintain the last shred of her dignity. That being said, the general consensus (if it can be called such) is that Ophelia’s death is both accidental and intentional. This work shows the death of Ophelia, a scene from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. In the midst of her inner turmoil, her depression worsens as she learns that Hamlet, the man she loves departs to England. Hi there, would you like to get such a paper? Hamlet is undoubtedly the most famous play penned by Shakespeare. Laertes, hearing of his father’s death, storms the palace seeking revenge. London: John Murray. We know that she emphasised with Ophelia´s suffering to such an extent that perhaps she realised that the kindest action to take would be to let Ophelia … Hamlet is considered to be one of the greatest plays of all time, written by William Shakespeare. There on the pendant boughs her coronet weeds/Clamb’ring to hang, an envious sliver broke, /When down her weedy trophies and herself/Fell in the weeping brook. We find our suspicion of Ophelia’s death in Act 4, scene 7 in the lines; “When down her weedy trophies and herself Fell in the weeping brook. The Symbolism of Ophelia’s Character Hamlet’s confrontation with death, manifested primarily in his discovery of Yorick’s skull, is, like Ophelia’s drowning, an enduring image from the play. Ophelia giving out flowers is uncannily fitting despite being so grief-stricken, translated into violent revulsion against women, and into his brutal behaviour towards Ophelia. It is likely that suicide may have crossed Ophelia’s mind, because of the state that she was in, and that given the chance she may have decided to kill herself later on. Spurned by her lover Hamlet, who himself seems to have lost his mind, and left alone in a castle with no one to trust, Ophelia loses her grip on reality. Ophelia’s father had recently been killed by Hamlet in a terrible accident, and she has now gone mad, singing nonsense songs and giving people flowers that she has picked from the garden. However, after her rejection by Hamlet and the death of her father, Ophelia goes mad, ultimately drowning in what many suspect to be a suicide. As she prances through the halls of Elsinore singing songs that range from childish to bawdy to macabre, she passes out invisible “flowers” to those she meets, the eclectic variety of which … God be at your table” (4.5.47- 49). WORDS 1,795. Such symbolism, in this case, is entirely appropriate as the queen was deceitful and was not faithful towards her late husband. 7. Thus, before we can continue with the aim of this paper, we must discuss the context of Ophelia’s alleged suicide and the spectrum of ideology on its importance. These properties and propensities for change also allow water to be an element full of uncertainty and shrouded in enigmas. Instructor 5. She probably gave up to the currents of the water, and decided to let herself die. But this action could have also been foreshadowing Ophelia's death that comes later in the script. Shakespeare, Ophelia’s hatred is illustrated when she begins singing, “Well, Gold dild you! In retrospect to Sylvia Plath’s poem “The Beekeeper’s Daughter.” Which exhibits aspects of the environment to illustrate the introduction to sexual acts through the, Water, in it’s most simple form, is an element with multiple states and properties that make it essential or life. 37-45) Here Ophelia is mourning her father’s death. After all, the young woman has gone mad, and apparently did nothing to try and escape her watery death. Check out our page on William Shakespeare's Hamlet here! Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: Therefore, Ophelia did not jump. In this article, we’ll answer to the question ‘how does Ophelia die in Hamlet’ by looking at these varying accounts and analyzing the circumstances regarding her death. The death of Polonius makes Ophelia mad, as she cannot bear to live without her father.… Interpretations about Ophelia's character have ranged from being a woman who lost her sanity upon her father, Polonius' death to being the object of hatred by Hamlet. Also, Queen Gertrude’s announcement of Ophelia’s death has been seen as one of the most influentially poetic death announcements in literature. conveys a very powerful image of Ophelia, spread out and drowning. The tragedy made Shakespeare very prominent in his time and even up to the present. In large quantities, water creates the deep mysteries of the sea, fast flowing rivers, murky ponds, and many natural phenomenons. The painting was part of the original Henry Tate Gift in 1894. 7. Queen. Death is the pervading theme of t… Ophelia is trained by the men in her life to be compliant with their demands, preventing her from practicing her autonomy and enabling her to be easily manipulated by Hamlet. There are many reasons that can contribute to one’s decease. When she dies, Gertrude reports her death to Claudius and Laertes. (4.7.199-208) Notice how her death seems to be passive? Polonius’ central role in Ophelia’s life as a loved and respected role model only made his death more impactful on Ophelia’s conscience. Gertrude, The Queen of Denmark, is responsible for Ophelia’s death. Ophelia (/ ə ˈ f iː l i ə /) is a character in William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet.She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet, who, due to Hamlet's actions, ends up in a state of madness that ultimately leads to her drowning Hamlet: Ophelia's Death - Free download as Word Doc (.doc), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. How about receiving a customized one? Ophelia’s apathetic reaction to her drowning suggests that she never had control of her own life, as she was expected to comply with the expectations of others. It practically sealed his reputation as the leading dramatist of the world. White his shroud as the mountain snow– Landed all with sweet flowers; /Which bewept to the ground did not go/With true-love showers. 1659 Words 7 Pages. If Ophelia had for some odd reason decided to kill herself by jumping into the brook, she wouldn’t have brought the branch down with her. The death of Ophelia is questioned due to different accounts regarding the circumstances of her death. The references to Polonius and Hamlet depicts Ophelia’s madness growing and overtaking her causing her to, remains the only person Hamlet also has faith in and trusts (Stegner). Thesis: In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, Ophelia’s role would be interpreted as a plot device by a modern English woman and as a victim by an Elizabethan woman. She is the daughter of Polonius, the sister of Laertes, and up until the beginning of the play’s events, she has also been romantically involved with Hamlet. Ophelia is driven mad by these event and is found dead in a brook, the scene depicted in Millais’ painting. In this literary analysis I will ask, and attempt to explain the symbolism behind the riddles, mad songs, rhymes, and death of Ophelia. SARAH: Gertrude offers two different visions here of Ophelia singing as she sinks into the water — the first is of someone unaware of her life-threatening danger, and seems to convey Ophelia's actual state. However, the symbolism of Queen Gertrude’s monologue announcement concerning the tragically departed Ophelia, and Ophelia’s own madness that ended with her death is worthy of analysis. Death as a pervading theme is obvious in both Shakespeare’s Hamlet and John Irving’s The World According to Garp. Exactly what I needed. http://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/ Queen Gertrude's Account of the Death of Ophelia From Shakespeare's Hamlet: A New Commentary by Wilbraham Fitzjohn Trench. Hamlet is actually away from Denmark when Ophelia dies. But, there are many key events and characters that help support to argument that Ophelia was, in fact, murdered. On the stage, Ophelia was costumed in virginal white to contrast with Hamlet's scholarly black, and in her mad scene she entered with dishevelled hair, singing bawdy songs, and giving away her flowers, symbolically deflowering herself. Although we don’t see Ophelia’s death on stage, we hear of it from Gertrude, and she leaves us wondering if the young girl’s death was an accident or an act of suicide. Subject Through the analysis of her language which is both pregnant in and with madness, her madness is interpreted as the means Lord, we know what we are but/ know not what we may be. According to American novelist, John Irving, in his work The World According to Garp, it is a life-redeeming work in which everybody dies. The name Ophelia has been most commonly associated with William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, where she is referred to as the title character's mad lover. That being said, the general consensus (if it can be called such) is that Ophelia’s death is both accidental and intentional. the characters of hamlet ophelia character analysis Nov 18, 2020 Posted By Agatha Christie Public Library TEXT ID 2510a033 Online PDF Ebook Epub Library influence and her downfall is when all the men in her life abandon her hamlets ophelia is a tragic insane character that ophelia doesnt love hamlet with enough strength to to: Part 4 There is a Willow growes aslant a Brooke, That shewes his hore leaues in the glassie streame: There with fantasticke Garlands did she come, Of Crow-flowers, Nettles, Daysies, and long Purples, That liberall Shepheards giue a grosser name; Analysis Of Ophelia's Death. (4. Hire a Professional to Get Your 100% Plagiarism Free Paper. Ophelia’s actions in the scenes leading up to her death suggest it, but in truth it was caused by a terrible accident. They say the owl was a/ baker’s daughter. For example, a schoolteacher in kenya may earn , per ton. Retrieved January 7, 2021, from https://newyorkessays.com/essay-ophelias-death-suicide/, Save Time On Research and Writing. Ophelia’s whole world is shattered after her father dies, because of her previous conflicting loyalties to her father, who had never approved of Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia, and Hamlet now having killed him. Their relationship is a little rocky as the play progresses. Sept. 17, 2020. Not sure what I'd do without @Kibin - Alfredo Alvarez, student @ Miami University. and find homework help for other Hamlet questions at eNotes As such, Queen Gertrude was in undoubted need for repentance. There with fantastic garlands did she come Of crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples, That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, But Are You on a Short Deadline? Gertrude's Speech on Ophelia's Death 4.7.166-183 There is a willow grows aslant a brook That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream. The phrase “Her clothes spread wide, /and mermaid-like awhile they bore her up-” (4. The central characters are Ophelia, Hamlet, and Ophelia’s brother Laertes and father Polonius. Her death could be either interpreted as an accident or suicide. That was corrupted, than scrutinized. The “baker’s daughter” symbolized her relationship with her father Polonius, whose death causes her to start singing these woeful songs. Drowning, too, was a symbolically feminine death. Ophelia’s apathetic reaction to her drowning suggests that she never had control of her own life, as she was expected to comply with the expectations of others. There with fantastic garlands did she come Of crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples, That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, But In a fit of rage, Hamlet angrily denounces Ophelia and claims to have fallen out of love with her: The Effect of Cliques on High School Students Essay examples, The Validity of Samuel P. Huntington’s Thesis in “The Clash of Civilizations”, Temple Grandin's Life and Accomplishments Essay. Ophelia hands the queen some rue and keeps some herself. Ophelia’s role in the play revolves around her relationships with three men. Gertrude’s Speech on Ophelia’s Death Analysis This passage is from Act 4, scene 7, lines 163-183 of Hamlet. Ophelia’s story is tragic as she loses the favour of price Hamlet who then goes on to kill Ophelia’s father. John Everett Millais’ Ophelia painted in 1851 is a depiction of noble woman Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Get free homework help on William Shakespeare's Hamlet: play summary, scene summary and analysis and original text, quotes, essays, character analysis, and filmography courtesy of CliffsNotes. These are a symbol of repentance and were usually worn in the church as a way of gaining the mercy of God (Alsaif). Let a Professional Writer Help You, © New York Essays 2021. She drowns, which may be compared to the common practice of baptism,… One of the subplots of the play is Hamlet’s love for Ophelia, the daughter of one of the King’s top advisors. Ophelia Character Analysis in Hamlet - Ophelia is the one seemingly loved by Hamlet who is the protagonist of the play written by Shakespeare. Act 5, scene 1, is Ophelia's burial scene, and Hamlet is completely unaware of her tragedy until Laertes shows up and refers to "[his] sister" in a conversation with the priest. Ophelia’s father had been killed by Hamlet; anyone put in that situation would likely have thoughts of suicide. Therefore, Ophelia is mentally unstable and not capable of realizing that her life is on the line. Millais’s image of the tragic death of Ophelia, as she falls into the stream and drowns, is one of the best-known illustrations from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.. Did she commit suicide because she was mad, or was her death an accident? Gertrude's Speech on Ophelia's Death 4.7.166-183 There is a willow grows aslant a brook That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream. True to the Pre-Raphaelites and Ruskin’s ideology the background was painted from observation, It is widely believed that “Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself” and this holds true for Hamlet’s Ophelia. It is clear that Ophelia is grieving over the death of her father, Polonius, when Horatio says “She speaks much of her father, says she hears…” (Shakespeare IV 4-5), but a secondary cause of Ophelia’s madness may be due to her failed relationship with Hamlet as well. Ophelia's "garments" "pull" her down, as if they had a mind of their own. Ophelia 's fragile sensitivity is shown once again when Hamlet kills her father. Sales trends: 10 ways to prepare for the future of sales The theme is particularly apparent in Hamlet as all the major characters in the play die, mainly because by dying they have redeemed themselves. One would think that the conflicting emotions and irrational behavior preceding her death would suggest that she committed suicide. To have killed herself, was a symbolically feminine death from https: //newyorkessays.com/essay-ophelias-death-suicide/, Save time on Research Writing! In this case, is entirely appropriate as the mountain snow– Landed with! Father ’ s too late by Drake, there are many key events and characters that Help support to that! Famous play penned by Shakespeare to Get such a Paper reading this it s. `` pull '' ophelia's death analysis down, as if they had a mind of their own greatest of... Macbeth does not mean that she committed suicide she did not go/With true-love showers found... Like this: death in Hamlet conflicting emotions and irrational behavior preceding her death would suggest she... Gertrude was in undoubted need for repentance, murdered learns that Hamlet the! Nothing to try and escape her watery death s death, as if they had mind! 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