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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help
Any good book of Shakespeare criticism or Hamlet commentary should have a view about Ophelia. For example, in the mental abuse category, in her book, "Shakespeare's Division of Experience" Marilyn French says that she didn't suffer any mental abuse. According to Renaissance values, feminine value was dependant on virginity: Polonius felt that he had raised his daughter correctly, to be innocent and chaste, and was therefore a good father, she "belonged" to him, and he was completely justified in using her in any way he saw fit, including as bait to spy on Hamlet.According to the values of the time, no one mistreats Ophelia except Hamlet, who should not have expected her to disobey her father.
I disagree with the values of the time.
Posted by Lillith on March 24, 1997 at 16:20:37
In Reply to "Where I can I find some views on the physical and mental abuse that Opelia took." posted by Scotty on March 24, 1997 at 14:09:07
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