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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help
I hope this isn't stealing, but if it helps... I am directly quoting from a book called Shakespeare A to Z.
"Ophelia's insanity is triggered by the crushing of her love for Hamlet and then intensified by the loss of
her father to Hamlet's maddness. Her pathetic ravings in 4.5 are concerned with lost loves and death, the grim
realities that have broken her mind. She cannot absorb the conflict implicit in loving both her father and his
murderer. Her bawdy songs reflect the lusts of the outside wotld, of which she has no experience but that have
contributed to her plight. The flowers she obsessively alludes to, themselves symbols of innocence, are poignant
emblems of her own youth and inability to deal with the harsh world of the play. Some scholars say that Ophelia's
name - which means 'succor' in Greek, a seemingly inappropriate designation for so victemized a character - may
have been used in error instead of Aphelia, meaning 'simplicity' or 'innocence'.
I sincerely hope this helps. I adore add ache for Ophelia. She is far stronger than her fatal choice makes her out
to be. Good luck!
Posted by Hero on April 15, 1997 at 21:24:59
In Reply to "Act 4 Ohelia in depth" posted by Sheryl on April 15, 1997 at 17:23:24
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help