Thursday, February 27, 2014

Ophelia's gone nuts

I also believe that the reason for Ophelia's insanity is a combination of her father's untimely death and Hamlet's betrayal. Throughout the play, Ophelia has been used and betrayed by the various people in her life and Hamlet was one of the few people she trusted, however after the murder of her father she no longer can rely on him. I think Hamlet would receive the violets since she says: "I would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father died" (4.5.3059-3061). She is basically referring to her father's death and that the fidelity represented by the violets was that of Hamlet, who she no longer trusted after the murder of her father. I also think that the rue would be for the queen because she says "There's rue for you and here's some for me, We may call it herb of grace on Sunday's" (4.5.3056-3057). Rue represents repentance and that is signified by church on sundays but also because the queen must repent for her sins. Rue also stands for adultery and since the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude is so odd some would call it adultery because she was so quick to marry him after the kings death. I would also give fennel to rosencrantz and guildenstern because it represents flattery and both are quick to flatter the king and queen.

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