Ophelia's Life example essay topic

Ophelia: A Victim of Circumstance. In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the character of Ophelia is the most tragic of all characters. Ophelia is a victim of her life's circumstance. Having no mother to guide her, she lacks a sense of self needed to navigate the rough waters of relationships. This is evident in the choices she makes and by the way she allows the men in her life to treat her. She is in a constant search for the approval of the men in her lives.

She is engaged in a struggle between her loyalty to her father and her love for Hamlet. As a result of being weak willed, this struggle leads to her demise. From the outset of the play, her identity is defined by external forces and is constructed by societal influences of the times. Motherless and limited by the men in her life, she has been shaped to abandon her own desires in order to appease the desires of others.

Her father and brother control Ophelia in an almost incestuous way. Both consider themselves individually the cultivator of her moral and psychological growth. Laertes, for example, attempts to teach her about the dangers of the advances of men". Fear it, Ophelia, fear it my dear sister" (1.3. 33), -- "it" being Hamlet's desire to take her " chaste treasure" (1.3. 31) which Laertes seems to want to hold.

With his "ministering angel" (5.1. 234) safely in Elsinore chastity in tact and even agreeing to deny herself the act of sleeping so she can write to him (1.3. 3-4), Laertes can return to France without worrying about his sister. Whereas Ophelia is an angel in the eyes of Laertes, she is used by Polonius in order to advance his own cause.

Continually treating her like a child, he teaches his "green girl" (1.3. 101) to be loyal and agree to every command. Polonius further controls her by stating that if she acts on her own accord she will " tender [him] a fool" (1.3. 109). In addition, he strips her of any individuality. "You do not understand yourself so clearly / As it behooves my daughter and your honor.

I will teach you", he further tears her down to the status of a child by stating, "Think yourself a baby" (1.3. 96-97,105). Ophelia now becomes a willing instrument in order for her father to possibly gain stature with Claudius by showing loyalty to him. Ophelia, exhibiting once again her lack of regard for herself and her desires, agrees to participate in the set up to see if Hamlet is acting crazy because he is in love. Ina split second, she is placed in a situation where she has to chose between her loyalty to her father, or her own conviction. She chooses to lie to Hamlet rather than reveal her father.

This is her fatal flaw. Hamlet, knowing she is lying to him, goes on a rant and not only denounces his feelings for her, he questions her integrity and refers to her as a whore (1.111. 21). This confrontation begins her true descent into insanity. Ophelia, lacking personal boundaries and self-esteem, seems compelled to take on whatever role is given to her at the time. She promises Laertes not to disclose the nature of his advice (1.3.

87), and quickly discloses the nature of the conversation immediately upon the request of her father (1.3. 90). As the play continues, her own identity leaves the story. She seems to now need the directives of the men in her life to give her purpose.

When they are removed from her, Hamlet banished from England, her brother in France and her father killed, the silenced voices are too much for her to deal with and she snaps. Ironically, it seems that in her insanity, Ophelia finally gains a sense of self. She now has a vehicle by which to express her pent up anger and rage. She is now the one who attempts to challenge authority under the auspices of insanity. Considering all her life Ophelia has existed in a role of silence, she is now demanding an audience.

In exchanges with Gertrude, Ophelia states", Pray you mark" (4.5. 33) when the Queen attempts to interrupt her. She begins to express herself in song. She begins to sing about the trials of her life and of the events around her. This is her rebellion. Her attempt to finally express herself for the first time in her life.

It seems that she found an accepted way around the mores of society which dictates how a woman is "supposed " to be. As a result of her behavior, she is seen by those around her as possessing " but half sense" (4.5. 7). Even so, she is defiant. Defiant in her expressions of her feelings and thoughts. In the lyrics of her songs, and in her expressive ramblings, she comments on what she truly feels and observes.

Of all the songs she sings, she finally sings about her love and desertion by Hamlet (4.5. 48-66). This song told the depth of emotion and the pain of abandonment she truly felt. She becomes so occupied with her sadness that she in her venturing into the brook, she drowns. There is some vindication for Ophelia in the end. At her funeral, Hamlet does profess his love for her and Laertes does return to her side.

Too late perhaps, or is it? In Ophelia's life she sought nothing more than to gain acceptance and to be loved by those she loved the most. As a result of her final act, she received 2 valuable things: the love she longed for and the audience she wanted to be heard by. Ophelia lived most of her days for others, never developing a sense of who she really was until the end. In the final moments, she had complete control of her life.

She had the final form of expression. She went out on her own terms.