In the play, “Hamlet”, written by William Shakespeare, Ophelia is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and potential wife of Prince Hamlet. So basically, she is an object for men of power to use The society in which she lives in is a man-lead system. Women are praised for their embodiment of femininity. They are held to their youth, beauty, and purity. Ophelia becomes a rebel into her own society as she goes mad. She rebels against the society and standards that have been set for her. She is unaware of the harsh realities of life such as betrayal and murder as she has been raised in a bubble. Many traumatic events occur in her life in a short period of time with the previously said powerful men, including
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Polonius and Laertes expect her to be an “eternal virgin”, the “vessel of morality” whos only purpose is to please the men in her life and to raise a family. Hamlet on the other hand, expects her to be his own personal sex object. Both of these options being pretty degrading. She is incapable of defending herself and it is obvious that she is suffering,“I do not know, my lord, what I should think” (I. 3. 104). This quote describes how Polonius easily manipulates Ophelia and it is evident that Polonius raises his daughter under his control. She states, “ No, my good lord, but, as you did command, I did repel his letters, and denied access to me” (II.2.107-109). This is reiterated in …show more content…
1. 144-148). Ophelia, like Hamlet, has also experienced a demise. The explicit sexual references in Ophelia’s songs perhaps account for her obsession with the now absent Hamlet, as in “promising his love” to her earlier in the play and then being scorned, she is doubly heartbroken alongside the death of her father. “Young men will do’t if they come to’t / By Cock, they are to blame”(4.5.59-60). This is compounded on by a following line, “You promised me to wed, / So would I ‘a’ done, by yonder sun, / An thou hadst not come to my bed.” (IV.5.62-64). Though the man in the song has promised the speaker that they will soon wed, he has left her for no apparent reason. It is likely that Ophelia has fixated upon Hamlet’s “detestable” oath breaking. Hamlet has broken both her heart and her mind, which will never become whole
Polonius and Laertes expect her to be an “eternal virgin”, the “vessel of morality” whos only purpose is to please the men in her life and to raise a family. Hamlet on the other hand, expects her to be his own personal sex object. Both of these options being pretty degrading. She is incapable of defending herself and it is obvious that she is suffering,“I do not know, my lord, what I should think” (I. 3. 104). This quote describes how Polonius easily manipulates Ophelia and it is evident that Polonius raises his daughter under his control. She states, “ No, my good lord, but, as you did command, I did repel his letters, and denied access to me” (II.2.107-109). This is reiterated in …show more content…
1. 144-148). Ophelia, like Hamlet, has also experienced a demise. The explicit sexual references in Ophelia’s songs perhaps account for her obsession with the now absent Hamlet, as in “promising his love” to her earlier in the play and then being scorned, she is doubly heartbroken alongside the death of her father. “Young men will do’t if they come to’t / By Cock, they are to blame”(4.5.59-60). This is compounded on by a following line, “You promised me to wed, / So would I ‘a’ done, by yonder sun, / An thou hadst not come to my bed.” (IV.5.62-64). Though the man in the song has promised the speaker that they will soon wed, he has left her for no apparent reason. It is likely that Ophelia has fixated upon Hamlet’s “detestable” oath breaking. Hamlet has broken both her heart and her mind, which will never become whole