Hamlet: The Character of Ophelia


Ophelia is gentle, loving and beautiful. She is also obedient to her father and loyal to her family and it is this which draws her into the circle of disaster and leads to her "untimely death". She is deeply in love with Hamlet and believes his "tenders" to be sincere, but her obedience to both her father and her brother must come first. Laertes tells her to beware of Hamlet's interest as it is driven by lust, not love. He also points out the difference in their background and rightly concludes that Hamlet is not in a position, as heir to the throne to choose freely who he will marry.

Polonius is also scornful of Hamlet's motives and concerned that he will be discredited by Ophelia's conduct. His command to her not to see Hamlet again is brutal, as is his decision to use her as a decoy to sound out the reason for Hamlet's eccentric behaviour. The fact that she obeys would be quite understandable to Shakespeare's audience, if not to a present day one, since filial obedience was a fundamental part of the life of the time. Note also how differently Laertes is treated by his father, compared to the lack of regard shown to Ophelia by Polonius. Women had little status, and Ophelia's wishes are not considered at any time. Torn apart as she is by divided loyalty it is no wonder that the strain on her eventually leads to her madness and subsequent death.

That she loves Hamlet is without question. She is distraught when she observes his behaviour before the nunnery scene, and after his savage rejection of her in that scene she laments his "noble mind..here o'erthrown" She also grieves for herself, "Oh woe is me, t'have seen what I have seen, see what I see." She is sophisticated enough to understand the ways of the world, too, as we see in her dialogue with Hamlet before the mousetrap play, when she obviously understands the meaning of his bawdy remarks, and also in her quick understanding of her brother's likely conduct when he is away at school.

Her madness is triggered by loss of her father, murdered by Hamlet, whom she also believes to be mad. The pathos of the mad scene is emphasised by the language of loss in some of the songs she sings and the overt sexuality of others. In fact the sentiments of Ophelia for Hamlet in the nunnery scene, are, ironically applicable to herself later in the play.

Her story parallels Hamlet's. They think they have both been deserted by one they love; both lose a father through murder and both go to an untimely death; both are sensitive, caring souls whose innocence is exploited by others. No character has anything evil to say about Ophelia at any time and of all the deaths which occur in the play as a result of Claudius's original murder, hers is perhaps the most pathetic.






Imagery is word pictures. Hamlet deals with the imagery of poison, disease and decay. This imagery adds a sense of reality and depth to how characters in the play take revenge on other characters. These word pictures make the reader more sympathetic towards Hamlet. I have chosen five examples in the play to help describe the imagery of poison, disease and decay. Two of these examples are of decay, one of disease, and a following two examples of poison.

The imagery of decay in the play Hamlet is quite detailed and puts a very distinct picture in your head. I have chosen two examples of decay.My first example is located in act iv, scene iii on line 20. The play quotes;"Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain convocation of politic worms are eaten at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fatus, and we fat ourselves for maggots." The quote describes where Polonius has gone. Where he is eaten tells us that he is no longer alive but has been put to be eaten by worms and will eventually decay. My second example for decay quotes " O heat dry up my brains; fear seven times salt burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!"

Disease plays a great part in the play Hamlet. It gives you sense of description and realism. In Hamlet disease is found in act iv, scene I, line 21.It quotes "But, like the owner of a foul disease, to keep it from divulging, let it feed even on the pith of life. Where is he gone?" This quote is once again explaining Polonius’s death. Gertrude is telling the reader that this horrible deed must not be considered as to be left as a rotting body, but as a human living off nature’s finest food.

As you can see in the play Hamlet, poison is the most used for death. At the beginning and the end of the play has poison. So to help the deaths of poison, Shakespeare made it into imagery. The first example would be in the quote, " Sleeping within me orchad, my custom always of the afternoon, upon my secure hour thy uncle stole with juice of cursed hebona in a vial and in the porches of my ears did pour the leperous distilment…that swift as quicksilver it courses through the natural gates of the body." This quote is described by Hamlets father as a ghost. He describing his death that his brother committed. It explains that Hamlets uncle has poured a poison in his father’s ear so that it will run through his whole body and eventually kill him. The second quote describing poison is found in act v, scene v, line 75. It quotes " O this is the poison of deep grief; it springs all from her father’s death and now behold." This quote is explaining the effects of the remarkably deadly poison called quicksilver. It is the poison that Hamlet’s father was killed instantly with.

As you can see by reading this essay, it is inevitable that imagery is one of the most important factors of writing. Without describing the actions of important events, you wouldn’t get the real feel for the play. Therefore the description of poison, decay and disease in the play, makes you feel a little more sympathetic towards Hamlet.






Hamlet: Finding Courage to Die





In William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" we see a young man paralyzed with

grief over his father. So much so that he is believed to have gone mad. Hamlet

is such a complex character that one must look deeply to find what drives him.

Did he really have the courage to kill the king or was it madness? Hamlet's

character will be illuminated by explaining both soliloquies and finally Hamlet

himself.



"To be, or not to be, that is the question," (Beaty, 1348) is one of

the most famous and well known excerpts from the play "Hamlet." What most

people do not realize is the significance it has in the portrayal of the

character Hamlet. During this soliloquy Hamlet is debating his fate. Hamlet is

asking himself whether it is more noble, in the mind, to passively accept and

suffer through all the pains of life fate throws at him, or to actively destroy,

in death, these numerous troubles, and ultimately end his pain. Hamlet is

questioning whether it is better to live in a world where he cannot see any

goodness or take his own life. Hamlet has a very intense, philosophical

personality. For this reason, he cannot take his life because he does not know

what happens after one dies. He is not positive of an afterlife, therefore he

doesn't have the courage to end his life.



"Now might I do it prat," (Beaty, 1363) is a soliloquy in which we see a

shift in Hamlet's rationalization. Hamlet, as his fathers only son, is seeking

revenge for his fathers death, but is afraid that a quick death for Claudius

would not be enough. Hamlet feels that waiting until Claudius is in an immoral

situation would make him suffer in death because he would not be allowed to

repent for his sins. During this soliloquy Hamlet is caught up in his plot for

revenge and has foregone, for the moment, his plan of suicide.



The contradictions in these two soliloquies sheds much needed light on

Hamlet's personality. Hamlet is very outraged by the immoral actions of some of

the other characters. He is deeply offended by his mothers hasty marriage to

her brother-in-law and king. Hamlet begs his mother to stop being intimate with

Claudius and to think more upon her late husband. This shows that Hamlet has a

very clear perception of right and wrong. He also shows this characteristic by

being suspicious and even hurt by his childhood friends loyalty to Claudius.

Even though Hamlet is despondent over his fathers death, he keeps in mind his

moral convictions and sets out to right what he sees as a wrong doing towards

his father, and ultimately his family.



The plays tragic ending is just more proof that Hamlet was bound by his

own ethics to avenge his fathers wrongful death. Hamlet's character traits are

very deeply ingrained and he does what he must to keep those traits from being
exploited by what he sees as unethical people.
Analysis of Hamlet's Soliloquies


"To be or not to be--that is the question..." Many people incorrectly interpret those famous words of Hamlet's, not knowing the true meaning or background behind his speech. In his soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates whether or not he should take it upon himself to act accordingly to his uncle's/step-father's crime against his own father. However, later on in the play, Hamlet realizes Fortinbras' resolve and his quest for victory. By witnessing Fortinbras and his actions, Hamlet comes to realize that he has no inner struggle and sees the actions that he must take in order to bring inner peace to himself and avenge his father's murder.

In his most famous soliloquy, Hamlet ponders whether he should take action against his "sea of troubles" and seek revenge for his father's death or live with the pain of his father's murder. Hamlet's weakness is later illustrated when he passes up the opportunity to kill Claudius by rationalizing that he has made peace with God, therefore sending him to Heaven if he were to be slain. In addition to his proposal of vengeance, he also contemplates whether it is better to stay alive or commit suicide. "To die, to sleep--/No more--and by a sleep to say we end/The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/That flash is heir to--'tis a consummation/Devoutly to be wished" (III,i,68-71). If he were to sleep, he feels that all his troubles would vanish, and this would not be such a bad thing. However, he says that if he were to sleep, he might have disturbing dreams while in slumber which would be wholly undesirable. Hamlet knows that what he wishes to do to his uncle is sinful and wrong, but it is this train of thought that leaves him in a state of anxiety. This soliloquy portrays Hamlet as a sort of coward because he can not act upon his own emotions and desires. In order to escape his heartache, he cowardly thinks about killing himself. Nevertheless, Hamlet's resolve makes a dramatic turn by the time he recites his soliloquy of Act IV, Scene iv.

In his last soliloquy, it is obvious that Hamlet's state of mind has gone through a metamorphosis. Unlike his "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet knows how much of a coward he has been and illustrates this in his final soliloquy by comparing himself to Fortinbras. He admires Fortinbras for the mere fact that he can retain control of his state and his army, whereas Hamlet can barely control himself. Hamlet also says, "Rightly to be great/Is not to stir without great argument,/But greatly to find quarrel in a straw/When honor's at the stake" (IV,iv,56-59). By this, he is finally realizing what he has to do in order to protect his honor, and his father's honor. As with his other soliloquies, this last soliloquy portrays Hamlet as the coward who can not avenge his father and the honor of his family. By the end of his soliloquy and the realization of Fortinbras actions, Hamlet finally vows to act upon his feelings and states, "O, from this time forth/My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!" (IV,iv,68-69). It is at this pivotal moment where Hamlet no longer has an inner struggle and determines the actions he must assume in order to restore his family honor and bring an inner peace to himself.

Hamlet's character during the beginning of the play is one of virtue and integrity, fearing the consequences of his action. As the play progresses, Hamlet becomes more and more confused and his inner struggle seems to be getting worse. After the explosion scene, Hamlet finally wins the battle within himself, causing him to act against his own inhibitions in order to dutifully avenge the murder of his father.













































Analysis of Hamlet's Soliloquies


"To be or not to be--that is the question..." Many people incorrectly interpret those famous words of Hamlet's, not knowing the true meaning or background behind his speech. In his soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates whether or not he should take it upon himself to act accordingly to his uncle's/step-father's crime against his own father. However, later on in the play, Hamlet realizes Fortinbras' resolve and his quest for victory. By witnessing Fortinbras and his actions, Hamlet comes to realize that he has no inner struggle and sees the actions that he must take in order to bring inner peace to himself and avenge his father's murder.

In his most famous soliloquy, Hamlet ponders whether he should take action against his "sea of troubles" and seek revenge for his father's death or live with the pain of his father's murder. Hamlet's weakness is later illustrated when he passes up the opportunity to kill Claudius by rationalizing that he has made peace with God, therefore sending him to Heaven if he were to be slain. In addition to his proposal of vengeance, he also contemplates whether it is better to stay alive or commit suicide. "To die, to sleep--/No more--and by a sleep to say we end/The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/That flash is heir to--'tis a consummation/Devoutly to be wished" (III,i,68-71). If he were to sleep, he feels that all his troubles would vanish, and this would not be such a bad thing. However, he says that if he were to sleep, he might have disturbing dreams while in slumber which would be wholly undesirable. Hamlet knows that what he wishes to do to his uncle is sinful and wrong, but it is this train of thought that leaves him in a state of anxiety. This soliloquy portrays Hamlet as a sort of coward because he can not act upon his own emotions and desires. In order to escape his heartache, he cowardly thinks about killing himself. Nevertheless, Hamlet's resolve makes a dramatic turn by the time he recites his soliloquy of Act IV, Scene iv.

In his last soliloquy, it is obvious that Hamlet's state of mind has gone through a metamorphosis. Unlike his "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet knows how much of a coward he has been and illustrates this in his final soliloquy by comparing himself to Fortinbras. He admires Fortinbras for the mere fact that he can retain control of his state and his army, whereas Hamlet can barely control himself. Hamlet also says, "Rightly to be great/Is not to stir without great argument,/But greatly to find quarrel in a straw/When honor's at the stake" (IV,iv,56-59). By this, he is finally realizing what he has to do in order to protect his honor, and his father's honor. As with his other soliloquies, this last soliloquy portrays Hamlet as the coward who can not avenge his father and the honor of his family. By the end of his soliloquy and the realization of Fortinbras actions, Hamlet finally vows to act upon his feelings and states, "O, from this time forth/My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!" (IV,iv,68-69). It is at this pivotal moment where Hamlet no longer has an inner struggle and determines the actions he must assume in order to restore his family honor and bring an inner peace to himself.

Hamlet's character during the beginning of the play is one of virtue and integrity, fearing the consequences of his action. As the play progresses, Hamlet becomes more and more confused and his inner struggle seems to be getting worse. After the explosion scene, Hamlet finally wins the battle within himself, causing him to act against his own inhibitions in order to dutifully avenge the murder of his father.









































The soliloquies spoken by Hamlet were directed to the audience, rather than seeming like conversations with himself. In the first soliloquy, Hamlet talks about how aggravated at life he is and that if it weren’t for God’s laws he would commit suicide. He is not really morning his fathers death in this soliloquy but more his disgust for his mother for marring his uncle especially a few months after his father’s death. He then goes on to explain he must remain silent. He is explaining to the audience that nothing can undo the situation to make it any better. But that isn’t good enough for Hamlet. Something has to be done. This soliloquy sparks an interest in the reader and provides a glimpse into Hamlet’s thoughts while informing the audience of the history of his family’s tribulations.
In the second soliloquy Hamlet calls on the audience, the “distracted globe”, to hear his vow to get revenge on his uncle and to erase all from his mind except that of what the ghost had informed him of. The ghost, Hamlet’s father, had explained to him that Claudius had killed him and his soul couldn’t rest until revenge was brought onto his brother. The audience hears Hamlet’s promise to make Claudius pay for his murderous ways. Already, the audience is excited by hearing Hamlet’s promise because it is giving them something to look forward to.
In the third soliloquy, Hamlet admits to the audience he is a coward; “What an ass am I!” He then goes on to tell the audience of his new idea to help draw the truth out of Claudius. He believes that the theater can make a person experience real emotion. He finds this remarkable that something fictional can create a reality. But Hamlet admits that he is not sure if the ghost said to be his father is really who he says to be and not the creation of Satan. Now the audience is aware of Hamlet’s concerns and maybe what has been holding him back from taking action. But the prince decides to feed on Claudius’s conscience by having the players reenact the murder of his father. Then it is up to Claudius’s reaction to prove to Hamlet that what the ghost spoke of was in fact the truth. Now the audience had even more of a build up of what is to come.
The best-known soliloquy, the fourth, is not as passionate but more subdued. With this speech, Hamlet is not just talking about taking his own life but more the choice that is put before man between accepting insults and pain from the world or fighting back at it. Hamlet poses the question “To be or not to be.” Hamlet seems to search for some kind of meaning to life which is something each individual in the audience has contemplated before too. Hamlet seeks to find an answer we all have yearned to know; is there life after death and if so, is the life he leads now any better? Should Hamlet right the wrong his uncle has made? That is what he is asking himself. If he does he will himself be making a morally unjust decision that would weigh down his own conscience. The audience is able to relate with this; everyone has been faced with a moral dilemma more than once in his or her life. “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.” The audience in hearing these words from Hamlet sees that Hamlet is incapable of revenge.
The audience is always being included in Hamlet’s thinking process through the use of soliloquies. By involving the audience in the protagonist’s thoughts it helps the real meaning of the play shine through. The audience is told of past events without a narration that can sometimes take away from the play itself. The main characters’ thoughts are not always obvious to the audience. By Shakespeare’s writings, the audience is always aware of Hamlet’s current state of mind.















Madness may be “mental incapacity caused by an unmentionable
injury.” Such wounds often are not easily perceived but may be
revealed in time of stress. Hamlet’s question, “have you a
daughter?”(Act II. Sc2 182) Polonius about the Prince’s emotional
state. What is hidden will surely be told to Cloudius by his adviser.
Laertes’ search for revenge is sharper proof that madness in degrees
of publicity causes harm to the observers. Claudius promise “no wind
of blame”(Act IV, Sc.7,66) once Laertes kills Hamlet; perhaps this is
what the uncle has sought all along for himself. Ophelia has a
unique, very powerful form of madness; she seems caught as a “baker’s
daughter,"(Act IV, Sc. 5, 42) between memories of her father and
Hamlet who ought have spokedn to her of events on “Valentine’s
day."(Act IV, Sc 5, 48) She is doubly hexed and the madness she has
infects the whole court. Once a person’s mental state has been
studied in public, there is no telling the injuries which may affect
the viewers.

Ever since the death of King Hamlet young Hamlet has been what
appeared to be in a state of madness. In a discussion between Hamlet
and Polonius Hamlet questions Polonius by asking him “have you a
daughter.”(Act II, Sc.2, 182) In this discussion Hamlet shows antic
behavior towards Polonius by mocking him when Hamlet would usually
show great respect for him because of he age and heis high position in
the court. This sudden question to Polonius has caused Polonius to
believe that Hamlet has a form of love-sickness and that Polonius is
sure to tell Claudius of his condition. Hamlet also accuses Polonius
of being the “Jephthah, judge of Israel,”(Act II,Sc.2, 399) meaning
that Polonius would put his country in front of his daughter. Hamlet
has now convinced Polonius that he is in a state of madness because he
knows that Polonius cares for his daughter very much and would never
put her second. By convincing Polonius that he has no consideration
for the well-being of others, Hamlet is then hoping that Polonius will
tell the court of his emotional madness.

Unlike Hamlet, Laertes has developed a different kind of
madness, a madness that is controlled by revenge. When Laertes is
talking to Claudius, Laertes gets so much revenge building up inside
him against Hamlet that Laertes now wants to “cut his throat.”(Act
4,Sc.7,125) Laertes’ behavior is caused by the sudden death of his
father who was without a due ceremony, and his sister who has been
driven mad, has contributed to the madness that is being built up
inside Laertes. This madness grows even stronger when Claudius
promises “no wind of blame”(Act IV.Sc7,66) when Laertes kills Hamlet.
With Claudius being the puppet holder and Laertes being the puppet,
Claudius turns Laertes into a savage beast to avenge for his fathers'
death; perhaps this is what the Claudius has planned all along.
Laertes has a form of madness that is escalating because Laertes knows
that he has the capabilities and motivation to act on what he believes
on.

Ophelia has a unique form of madness unlike Hamlet’s and
Laertes’ because it a mixture of love and hate. An example of hate
is when she sings about a “baker's daughter.”(Act IV,Sc.5,42) Ophelia
is referring to the way her father used to treat her before the tragic
incident of his death. A love within her madness is when she speaks
about the events on “Valentine’s day.”(Act IV, Sc.5,48) When Ophelia
speaks about Valentines day she is referring to the events of romance
that she was denied. Ophelia’s madness is brought on by her lack of
being able to demonstrate any maturity in trying to cope with her
losses and in return can only inflict her madness on the court.

By stating that Hamlet could have controlled his fraudulent
madness, he then had the capability of controlling his conscious mind
into acting traditional. Where Laertes was very influential by others
and had no real control over the mental state he was developing by the
sway of Claudius. Ophelia was the most innocent victim of all
because she was the side affect of everyone else’s actions and had no
idea that she was mentally disintegrating. It can be noticed that
within each of these three people there can be no reassurance on what
the affect they may have on others due to their mental state in
public.



































Hamlet - The "Real" Tragedy
In Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the death of a character
becomes a frequent event. Although many people lose their lives as a
result of their own self-centered wrong-doing, there are others whose
death are a result of manipulation from the royalty. This is the case
of Polonius’ family. The real tragedy of Hamlet is not that of Hamlet
or his family but of Polonius’ family because their deaths were not
the consequence of sinful actions of their own but rather by their
innocent involvement in the schemes of Claudius and Hamlet.
The first character to die in Hamlet is Polonius. Although
Polonius often acts in a deceitful manner when dealing with Hamlet, it
is only because he is carrying out plans devised by the king or queen
to discover the nature of Hamlet’s madness. Being the king’s Lord
Chamberlain, it is his duty to obey the king and queen’s wishes and it
is this loyalty that eventually proves to be fatal for him. An example
of hoe Polonius’ innocent involvement with the royalty results in his
death can be found at the beginning of Act III, scene iv, when Hamlet
stabs him while he is hiding behind the arras in Gertude’s room. This
shows how Polonius, a man unaware of the true nature of the situation
he is in, is killed by a member of the royalty during the execution of
one of their schemes. This makes Polonius’ death a tragedy.
The next member of Polonius’ family to die is his daughter
Ophelia. Ophelia’s death is tragic because of her complete innocence
in the situation. Some may argue that Polonius deserves his fate
because of his deceitfulness in dealing with Hamlet while he is mad,
but Ophelia is entirely manipulated and used by Hamlet and the king
for their own selfish reasons. An example of how Ophelia is used by
Hamlet takes place in Act II, scene I, when Hamlet uses her to
convince his family he is mad. Ophelia explains to Polonius how Hamlet
has scared her, causing Polonius to draw the conclusion that Hamlet
has an "antic disposition". Although this is the subject to
interpretation and many believe that this is simply Hamlet taking one
last look at Ophelia before he becomes engaged in his plan to kill
Claudius, the fact that he scares her and does not try to alleviate
these fears points to the conclusion that he is simply using her to
help word of his madness spread throughout the kingdom via Polonius.
In Act III, scene iv, Hamlet kills Polonius while he is hiding behind
the arras in the Queen’s room. This event causes Ophelia to become
insane and leads to her eventual death in a river near the castle in
Act IV, scene vii. It can be seen how the combined scheming of
Hamlet’s scheme which brings about the death of Polonius which leads
to Ophelia’s death. The passing of Ophelia is a tragedy because she
does nothing deserving of death, she is merely used for other people’s
personal gain.
The last member of Polonius’ family to die is Laertes,
Ophelia’s brother and Polonius’s son. Laertes’ death is tragic
because, although he kills Hamlet, he is avenging his father’s death,
an act, with reference to the moral climate of the 1600s, that would
have been condoned by the people who saw the play. The difference
between Hamlet and Laertes is that Laertes does not use others to
attain his goals and his revenge is in part due to the pressure put on
him by Claudius. This makes Laertes’ murder of Hamlet excusable and
his death a tragedy. An example of how Claudius uses Laertes to try
and murder Hamlet is seen in Act IV, scene vii. Claudius and Laertes
are discussing Hamlet when Claudius says:

Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are
you like painting of a sorrow, A face without
a heart?

He is asking Laertes whether he is really sorry about his
father’s death or if he is just acting mournful without feeling
mournful. Claudius uses these lines to lead Laertes into a plan to
kill Hamlet, asking him what will he do to prove his love for his
father in ActIV, scene vii. Hamlet comes back; what would you
undertake to show yourself in deed your father’s son more than in more
than words? It can be easily seen how Laertes, influenced by Claudius
in the heat of his anger, could conspire to murder Hamlet and it is in
this attempt that Laertes loses his own life to the very poison he
kills Hamlet with. Once again, a member of Polonius’ family loses
their life as a result of a conflict that they are oblivious to,
making Laertes’ death a tragedy as well.
Contrary to popular belief, the tragedy associated with Hamlet
is not about Hamlet or his family. It is, however , about the tragic
fate of Polonius’ family , whose deaths are not the result of any sins
they omit but by their being manipulated by Hamlet and Claudius for
reasons they are unaware of. Although the death of Polonius’ family
stands out as being the most tragic, many other characters in the
story are killed as well. In fact, the death of a character in Hamlet
almost becomes commonplace near the end of the play.