Ophelia : (1.3. 529-536)
I shall th' effect of this good lesson keep
As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,
Do not as some ungracious pastors do
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven
Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads
And recks not his own rede
Analysis: This is the first time the first dialogue Ophelia has in the play and the reader can immediately get a sense of her personality and also her relationship with her family and Hamlet. During this dialogue Laertes warns Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet and she responds in a politically correct way. She is shrewd and agrees to take his advice, but at the same time criticizes him for his life of sin and negligence and compares him to a hypocritical pastor. It is made clear that she loves Hamlet and isn't really going to take his advice even if she says so, but also tries to keep the peace with Laertes. Overall the reader gets a sense of how feisty she is while still playing the part of the doting, obedient sister.
Polonius : (1.3.592-597)
Marry, I will teach you! Think yourself a baby
That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay,
Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly,
Or (not to crack the wind of the poor phrase,
Running it thus? you'll tender me a fool
Analysis: Here Polonius warns his daughter from talking to Hamlet, but he also basically makes it seem like she is a bartering device or a token instead of a daughter. The reader can observe the misogynistic society that Ophelia lives in and the role she has to take on with her family as a doting daughter who will obey her father and act as his bartering device through marriage. This brings up Shakespeare's concept of acting in Hamlet once again. It is almost like a play inside a play since all the people in it have to act extremely fake.
Ophelia Act 2
Ophelia : (2.1.1046-1059)
He took me by the wrist and held me hard;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm,
And, goes he to the length of all his arm,
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face
As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so.
At last, a little shaking of mine arm,
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk
And end his being. That done, he lets me go,
And with his head over his shoulder turn'd
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes,
For out o' doors he went without their help
And to the last bended their light to me.
Analysis: This is when Ophelia starts to show how naive she is. Prior to this she acted shrewdly, however one would think that if she loves Hamlet she wouldn't go running to her father who explicitly told her to stay away from him. She is clearly a little naive and foolish. Her father made it clear that he didn't want her near Hamlet and the second Hamlet comes to her, she goes running to her father. Not only this, her father made it clear that she was a bartering chip and a tool for success and anyone could figure out that he would use her to get the favor of the king. Her own naiveness and foolishness hurt the man she supposedly loved, Hamlet.
Polonius : (2.1.1060-1066)
Come, go with me. I will go seek the King.
This is the very ecstasy of love,
Who violent property fordoes 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?
Analysis: This goes hand in hand with the previous quotes. She was foolish and stupid and basically made herself available for political use when she ran to her father about Hamlet. Now because of her foolishness Polonius will use her information and relationship with Hamlet in order to gain the favor of the king. For someone who loves Hamlet she makes a lot of stupid decisions that end up hurting him.
For the actress to play her I picked Amanda Seyfried because the actress often plays the role of the lovestruck girl in many romantic comedies. In addition, the characters she portrays are often good hearted however they make big mistakes due to foolishness. This describes Ophelia completely and Amanda Seyfried would be perfect for the role of Ophelia.
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