Throughout the fourth act Ophelia becomes mad. As the act goes on, the madness becomes more apparent until finally she commits suicide. With Ophelia and Polonius’s deaths Laertes becomes madden with rage, and with the king plots to kill Hamlet. The death of Ophelia sets the stage for the final act.
Ophelia is divided; she wants to be loyal to her father and not be with Hamlet, but also wants to be with him because she loves him. Her father and brother believe that Hamlet would use her, in that he would take her virginity and then throw her away because she could never be his wife. She wanted to be convinced that Hamlet loved her, though he swears he did not. Later in the play it is insinuated that she is pregnant. Her mind was in disarray. She has no way to reconcile and keep the balance within herself. Ophelia's desperation drives her crazy, and she has no means with which to heal herself. The dilemma forces her into madness. …show more content…
The signs suggesting that she is mourning her father are apparent. In one of her many songs she sings “His beard as white as snow / All flaxen was his poll” (Act 4, Scene 5, Lines 190-191). This refers to an older man and therefore shows that Polonius’s death has taken its toll on her spirit. Furthermore, she states “I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say a made a good end.” (Act 4, Scene 5, Lines 180-181). Because Polonius was such a vital figure in her life, Ophelia’s madness overtakes her so much that she does not recognize whom she is talking
Ophelia is divided; she wants to be loyal to her father and not be with Hamlet, but also wants to be with him because she loves him. Her father and brother believe that Hamlet would use her, in that he would take her virginity and then throw her away because she could never be his wife. She wanted to be convinced that Hamlet loved her, though he swears he did not. Later in the play it is insinuated that she is pregnant. Her mind was in disarray. She has no way to reconcile and keep the balance within herself. Ophelia's desperation drives her crazy, and she has no means with which to heal herself. The dilemma forces her into madness. …show more content…
The signs suggesting that she is mourning her father are apparent. In one of her many songs she sings “His beard as white as snow / All flaxen was his poll” (Act 4, Scene 5, Lines 190-191). This refers to an older man and therefore shows that Polonius’s death has taken its toll on her spirit. Furthermore, she states “I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say a made a good end.” (Act 4, Scene 5, Lines 180-181). Because Polonius was such a vital figure in her life, Ophelia’s madness overtakes her so much that she does not recognize whom she is talking