Thao 1

Bee Thao

Wofford

ENG 112-098

14 February 2002

Innocent

In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the title character is not

the only person surrounded by tragedy. The horrors of revenge

surround the daughter of Polonius as well. Unfortunately, Ophelia

does not have the same options as Hamlet in avenging the death of her

father. Laertes and Polonius, as well as Hamlet, push Ophelia to

commit suicide by placing her into a situation that drives her into a

mad and depressing state.

Even though Laertes and Polonius are kin to Ophelia, they cause

her drown herself by creating a situation in which Ophelia has little

or no control. A woman of her station in such a time and place could

only have obeyed the wishes of her male relatives (Hall 133-5). The

advice given by Polonius emulates that of Laertes’, “Think it no more/

[…]/ His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own./ For he himself

is subject to his birth./ He may not […]/ Carve for himself; for on

his choice depends/ The safety and health of this whole state” (Hamlet

1.3.10-21). Further advice insists that Ophelia no longer speak to

Hamlet in the slightest, with which she complies (1.3.134-6). While

Ophelia may be acting as any woman of her time, she has her doubts as

well:

I shall the effect of this good lesson keep

As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother,

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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. (1.3.45-51)

Ophelia can and does think for herself, however, she cannot find an

outlet for her feelings because of the social pressures that she

faces. Ophelia would rather not obey the commands of her father

because she loves Hamlet just as much as he professes to love her,

“[N]ever doubt I love” (2.2.119). She would not doubt the advice of

her male counterparts if it were otherwise. This dubious advice

causes Ophelia to “repel [Hamlet’s] letters and [deny]/ His access to

[her]”, thereby ending all communication between the two (2.1.106-7).

Such an abrupt closure to a relationship can bring about severe

emotional trauma, as evidenced by Polonius’ statement, “That hath made

him mad” (2.1.108). It is also true that Ophelia still loves Hamlet

in spite of obeying the command to cease all communications, or else

she would not be so heartbroken with a later conversation in which

Hamlet denies his love for her. She becomes a “[lady] most deject and

wretched” (3.1.149). Ophelia’s depression originates in the control

that Laertes and Polonius exercise over her.

Hamlet is also responsible for Ophelia’s suicide, especially

through his actions towards her. He loves Ophelia dearly, as evident

in his letters to her, “the celestial and [his] soul’s idol” (Hamlet

2.2.109). Hamlet tells Ophelia that she can doubt things, which could

not be dubious otherwise, such as truth. However, he tells her to

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“never doubt” his love for her, because he loves her “best, O most

best” (2.2.119-22). These emotions create confusion for Ophelia just

as they would for any person in love (1.3.105). To add more to the

confusion, Hamlet, “[a]s if he had been loosed out of hell/ To speak

of horrors” goes before [Ophelia]” in her private chamber acting like

a madman that is “so piteous and profound” (2.1.74-97). This

increases the confusion of Ophelia’s emotions as well as instilling a

fear for the possible loss of her chastity. Hamlet continues to

torment Ophelia by later refusing to admit that he ever gave any

tender words of love or affection to her. Moving beyond this, he

mocks her as well. Having made Ophelia believe that he loves her,

Hamlet says, “You should not have believ’d me, for virtue cannot so

inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I lov’d you not.

[…] Get thee to a nunn’ry” (3.1.117-20). Hamlet’s ultimate disregard

for Ophelia shows in the murder of Polonius. He shows no remorse,

barely acknowledging that what he did was wrong. Rather, he curses

Polonius for being there and being slain (3.4.32). When compared to a

more classical vision of love, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,

Hamlet’s love for Ophelia pales in comparison. For instance, when

Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin, he screams out in sorrow, “I am fortune’s

fool” (Romeo 3.1.130). Romeo also returns to his love to comfort her

and ask for her forgiveness, something which Hamlet does not do (Romeo

3.3.139-164). This lack of sympathy for Ophelia drives her to the

brink of madness. In this state of depression because of the death of

her father, as well as the emotional trauma that Hamlet forces onto

her, Ophelia drowns herself under a willow tree (4.7.164). The only
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evidence for the truthfulness of Hamlet’s love is given after

Ophelia’s death, wherein he fights with Laertes and affirms his love

for Ophelia could not be equaled by “[f]orty thousand brothers […]

with all their quantity of love” (Hamlet 5.1.239-40). All that can be

said in Hamlet’s defense is this: “I must be cruel to be kind”

(3.4.185). Unfortunately, such feelings admitted after such an

atrocity in no way resurrects the dead. Hamlet could have prevented

Ophelia’s death by being more affectionate.

Ophelia is just an innocent person whose thoughts and feelings

were not considered when people were thinking of what they deemed to

be more important. The grief that followed her death attests to the

meaning that her life had to those around her. It is unfortunate

that, as a woman in such a time and place, Ophelia was controlled by

her father and brother. It is more unfortunate that the one person

who loved her, Hamlet, also deceived her. Such circumstances left her

no choice but to fall into depression and drown, whether intentionally

or not.
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Works Cited

Hall, Suzanne W. Women According to Men: The World of Tudor-Stuart

Women. Walnut Creek: Alta Mira, 1996. 13 Feb. 2002. <http://

www.netlibrary.com/reader/reader.asp?product_id=24320>.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Responding to Literature. Ed. Judith

A. Stanford. 3rd ed. Mountain View: Mayfield, 1999. 211-320.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Champaign:

Project Gutenberg, nd. 13 Feb. 2002. http://www.netlibrary.com/

reader/reader.asp?product_id=1012900>.