The play by William Shakespeare, Hamlet, is a famous play from the Renaissance time period. Hamlet follows the story of the prince Hamlet, seeking to avenge the recently murdered king, his father. Throughout the course of this play, Ophelia, who has a romantic interest in Hamlet, is driven to insanity, and eventually, to suicide. Hamlet pushes Ophelia to insanity, and then suicide, through his cruel statements towards Ophelia and the murdering of Ophelia’s father.
In Act IV, scene 7, Claudius, the new king, and Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, are having a conversation when they are interrupted by Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, with the news that Ophelia drowned. Gertrude explains that Ophelia was alongside a brook, creating garlands. The tree branch that Ophelia rest upon broke and Ophelia fell into the brook. However, Ophelia shows little signs of concern as she chants tunes while she floats on the water. Soon, her soaked garments grow heavy, causing Ophelia to sink into the brook and drown. …show more content…
Ophelia believes that Hamlet loved her, but Polonius and Laertes warn her to stay away from Hamlet. As the play progresses, Hamlet treats Ophelia very harshly, eventually to the point of verbal abuse. Hamlet tells Ophelia to, “Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?” (Hamlet III.1.121-122). Hamlet commands Ophelia to become a nun, because he wishes that she never bears children. The cruel insults from Hamlet, the man whom she thought loved her, turn Ophelia’s world upside down and largely contribute to her eventual suicide. Similarly to the water rising around Ophelia as she began to sink into the brook, the insults from Hamlet pile up around
In Act IV, scene 7, Claudius, the new king, and Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, are having a conversation when they are interrupted by Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, with the news that Ophelia drowned. Gertrude explains that Ophelia was alongside a brook, creating garlands. The tree branch that Ophelia rest upon broke and Ophelia fell into the brook. However, Ophelia shows little signs of concern as she chants tunes while she floats on the water. Soon, her soaked garments grow heavy, causing Ophelia to sink into the brook and drown. …show more content…
Ophelia believes that Hamlet loved her, but Polonius and Laertes warn her to stay away from Hamlet. As the play progresses, Hamlet treats Ophelia very harshly, eventually to the point of verbal abuse. Hamlet tells Ophelia to, “Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?” (Hamlet III.1.121-122). Hamlet commands Ophelia to become a nun, because he wishes that she never bears children. The cruel insults from Hamlet, the man whom she thought loved her, turn Ophelia’s world upside down and largely contribute to her eventual suicide. Similarly to the water rising around Ophelia as she began to sink into the brook, the insults from Hamlet pile up around