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She goes from the control of her father, to the lover abiding by Hamlet, to the mirror image of Hamlet. David Leverenz points out that Ophelia “Thinking she is not loved by him, she becomes him, or at least what she conceives to him to be.” To revive Hamlets love for her, Ophelia imitates Hamlet. She has to imitate and assimilate with him through Hamlet. This is why Ophelia sings, “He is dead and gone.” Because Ophelia has adopted Hamlet’s madness, Hamlet, whose love for Ophelia has withered away, is considered “dead and gone” to Ophelia. Closer to the end of the play, Ophelia’s madness resembles Hamlet’s more and more. Laertes says that in Ophelia’s language “[t]his nothing’s more than matter.” Polonius had a similar response to Hamlet’s language stating, “How pregnant sometimes his replies are!” Indicating that both of their mad languages are somewhat incomprehensible to all other characters with in the play. Their language is referred to as “nothing,” meaning they speak with a void that can never be filled, namely the loss of their beloved fathers, but they with attempt to fill with the nothings of adultery. Evidently Ophelia is doomed to commit
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David Leverenz believes that “Ophelia’s downing signifies the necessity of drowning both words and feelings.” This backing up that Ophelia never feels that she is wanted or understood. Ophelia’s death is the final end of her struggle and madness. Whether her death has been suicidal or accidental, she manages to evoke Hamlet’s affection achieving her play long objective. Her death however has both innocent and corrupt overtones. She shows the innocence of women by drowning in a creek in a pure white dress. Water and white being symbols for purity and innocence. Yet, however he death may seem pure, it manipulates the male characters, Laertes and Hamlet. The death of Ophelia causes Laertes and Hamlet to dual. This ultimately ends in the death of both men, and other characters. In life, Ophelia was manipulated by the men around her, but in death Ophelia manipulates the men still
David Leverenz believes that “Ophelia’s downing signifies the necessity of drowning both words and feelings.” This backing up that Ophelia never feels that she is wanted or understood. Ophelia’s death is the final end of her struggle and madness. Whether her death has been suicidal or accidental, she manages to evoke Hamlet’s affection achieving her play long objective. Her death however has both innocent and corrupt overtones. She shows the innocence of women by drowning in a creek in a pure white dress. Water and white being symbols for purity and innocence. Yet, however he death may seem pure, it manipulates the male characters, Laertes and Hamlet. The death of Ophelia causes Laertes and Hamlet to dual. This ultimately ends in the death of both men, and other characters. In life, Ophelia was manipulated by the men around her, but in death Ophelia manipulates the men still