Sunday, March 2, 2014
Ophelia gone mad!
Ophelia is having a hard time dealing the death of her father, and she eventually ends up going mad, due to the fact that she cannot deal with it. Unlike Hamlet, who has the opportunity to get revenge on the person who killed his father, Ophelia cannot( she obviously won't kill Hamlet). Ophelia is now absolutely destroyed because of her father's death. She says, "No, no, he is dead, Go to thy deathbed. He never will come again.His beard was as white as snow." (4.5.163) Ophelia realizes her father will no longer be with her," and she will not being able to go to her father when she has a problem like she did before. Ophelia feels like she cannot move on without her father alive because she isn't strong. I think that the reason why Ophelia goes insane is because her father was murdered. Her madness can also be caused by the fact that she does not think that Hamlet loves her as much as she loves him, which makes her feel lonely. Earlier in the play, she realized that Hamlet's "love", was not actually love, but it was a spew of emotions because he was mad. "And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his musicked vows" (3.1.156). Ophelia fell for Hamlet's pretend love. But, not only does she have to face the fact that her dad is dead, she must also face the fact that Hamlet, the one she loves is the one who murdered him and doesn't even care, which would make anyone go crazy. Ophelia now sees that she loves Hamlet but cannot put her trust into him, which is hard for her to do, especially without her father.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ophelia listened to what her father had to say early on in the play but she also put her own opinion in her end choice and didn't just do what Polonius thought was right. An example was at the end of act 2 scene 1. Polonius: " Come, go with me. I will go seek the king.This is the very ecstasy of love,Whose violent property for does itself and leads the will to desperate undertakings as oft as any passion under heaven that does afflict our natures. I am sorry.What, have you given him any hard words of late?" Ophelia:"No, my good lord. But as you did command I did repel his fetters and denied his access to me." (2.1113-122). She says that she did part of what Polonius wanted by not letting Hamlet see her and communicate with her but she does not want to go to the King like Polonius wants. She mixes in what her father thinks is right and what she feels is right. I agree with the fact that Ophelia is completely devastated by the death of the father and as she sings the words J'ron mentioned on (4.5.163) She also says right after that line, "He is gone, he is gone, And we cast away moan,God ha' mercy on his soul.And of all Christian souls, I pray God. God be wi' ye." She is stating that the mooring process is normal and that she is going through it but she is not stuck on the fact that he is dead. She understands that he will never return and bless's him. I think that the fact that she is singing the words and not speaking them symbolizes some strength she has and thats where i disagree with J'ron, he says that she doesn't have strength without him but i believe that her singing about him and stating that she wishes him the best and bless's him shows an understanding that her father is gone and she will not be a total mess like Hamlet was with his father.
ReplyDelete