Ophelia is a young and innocent woman who’s too obedient and vulnerable. It seems that she cares a lot for her family as she chooses them over Hamlet and follows their advice. This only makes her look defenseless and makes it seem as if she’s too reliant on others. She can’t seem to make her own choices as they’re already made for her. For example, in 1.3 Laertes warns her of Hamlet by saying, “For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favor, hold it a fashion and a toy in blood”(5-6) which Ophelia takes into consideration. Her father, Polonius, also tells her that “from this time forth, have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk to the Lord Hamlet”(132-134) at which Ophelia obeys. In 2.1, she tells her father that she “did repel his letters and denied his access ”(108-109) as he had told her to. Rather than following her own heart, she does what other people tell her to do showing how dependent she is on others.
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Because of the fact that she’s too vulnerable and does whatever is asked of her, people take advantage of her. At first, she was only Hamlet’s true love and it seemed that they had a loving relationship. Hamlet begins to takes advantage of Ophelia as he uses her as part of his plan. In 2.1, Ophelia retells of the time he went into her room “with his doublet all unbraced...and with a look so piteous in purpot”(78-82). By doing this, he knew she would tell her father which would indicate that his strange behavior towards Ophelia would lessen any suspicions of others finding out his true intentions. After Hamlet’s crazy behaviour, Claudius and Polonius decide to use Ophelia as bait to find out why Hamlet is acting that certain way. In 2.2, Polonius suggests sending Ophelia to Hamlet as he and Claudius hide “behind an arras”(162) to “mark the encounter”(163). The plan does nothing for Ophelia as she is only a pawn in their game and the plan is only beneficial to
Because of the fact that she’s too vulnerable and does whatever is asked of her, people take advantage of her. At first, she was only Hamlet’s true love and it seemed that they had a loving relationship. Hamlet begins to takes advantage of Ophelia as he uses her as part of his plan. In 2.1, Ophelia retells of the time he went into her room “with his doublet all unbraced...and with a look so piteous in purpot”(78-82). By doing this, he knew she would tell her father which would indicate that his strange behavior towards Ophelia would lessen any suspicions of others finding out his true intentions. After Hamlet’s crazy behaviour, Claudius and Polonius decide to use Ophelia as bait to find out why Hamlet is acting that certain way. In 2.2, Polonius suggests sending Ophelia to Hamlet as he and Claudius hide “behind an arras”(162) to “mark the encounter”(163). The plan does nothing for Ophelia as she is only a pawn in their game and the plan is only beneficial to