I think that Ophelia would have given the rosemary to Gertrude, symbolizing how quickly Gertrude forgot her old husband and married a new one. Gertrude would also get the violets because she was so unfaithful to the old king my marrying his brother just months after his death. Ophelia would give the pansies to Laertes, not because she is thinking of him, but rather because she continues to think of her father. Laertes has acted rather like a father figure to her, and has given her advice throughout the play. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern would receive the fennel, as they have been accepting the king's praise and flattering him. Hamlet tells Rosencrantz that he is a sponge "...that soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards, his authorities" (4.2.15-16). The rue, symbolizing repentance, would go to Claudius. Having killed the king, it would be important for him to repent. However, as we know, he does not repent, saying that "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below" (3.4.102). She gives some to herself as well because of her sorrow over the death of her own father. Ophelia would give the daisy, which represents dissembling, to Hamlet, because he is the one who has been deceiving people the most.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Ophelia's Flower Giving
I think that the cause of Ophelia's insanity is the death of her father. Even Claudius, in discussing the cause of her behavior, says "O, this is the poison of deep grief. It springs/All from her father's death, and now behold!" (4.5.80-81). The fact that Polonius was killed by Hamlet, the man who Ophelia had loved, could only have made her grief even worse.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree that Ophelia's insanity comes from her father's death and is amplified by the fact that Hamlet killed him. However, in part I feel like this comes from Hamlet going mad himself (or pretending to go mad) which ultimately led to the death. In someways I feel as though Ophelia is ignorant of all the evil around her and simply doesn't understand why people are acting the way that they are.
ReplyDeleteIf Ophelia were to give out the flowers, I think she would have given the Rosemary and Pansies to Laertes. She tells him: "Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies,/ that's for thoughts" (4.5.200-201). Ophelia wants Laertes the remember and think of their father by giving him these flowers. I think that Ophelia would give Gertrude the rue for sorrow and repentance so that she would feel guilt for betraying her family by marrying her husband's brother. I think Ophelia would give the fennels to Claudius for flattery and deceit. Claudius flattered the queen in order to become queen, but deceived everyone else by killing his brother and putting on an act that he didn't. I believe that the violet and the daisy would both go to Hamlet. The violet because they symbolize faithfulness but "they withered all when/ [Polonius] died" (4.5.208-209). Ophelia up until this point had tried to help Hamlet even though he was completely crazy and mean to her. However she can no longer trust Hamlet at all after he killed her father. Hamlet would also get the daisy for putting on an act in front of everyone. Hamlet had told Horatio and Marcellus earlier that "[he] perchance hereafter shall think meet/ to put an antic disposition on" (1.5.191-192). Hamlet told them that he may put on an act that he was crazy, which he did, in order to fool everyone.