Does Ophelia's Relationships merit her madness
...er to insanity and perhaps suicide. Some may argue that Ophelia is a strong confident individual who can survive on her own. We can read that although she listens to her father’s and brothers words she makes the final decision on her own based on what she thinks is best for herself: “I shall the effect of this good lesson keep, As watchman to my heart. But, good my brother, Do not, as some gracious pastor do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, Whilst, like a puff’d and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads And recks not his own rede.” (I, iii, 45-51) Ophelia heeds her brother’s words but pays no real attention to them and although this event might suggest that Ophelia is a strong confident individual this is not a constant theme for her personality. After giving Hamlet the letters the she can no longer see him and Hamlet reaction later on when he shows up looking terrible and acting very strange she returns to her father being unable to deal with the fears that she’s feeling. “Polonius: How now, Ophelia? What’s the matter? Ophelia: Alas, my lord, I have been so affrighted! Polonius: With what, i’ the name of heaven? Ophelia: My lord, as I was sewing in my chamber, Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced, No hat upon his head, his stocking foul’d, Ungarter’d, and down-gyved to his ancle: Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with a look so piteous in purport, As if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horrors, he comes before me. Polonius: Mad for thy love! Ophelia: My lord, I do not know, But truly I do fear” (II, i, 75-88) It is clear in this quote that Ophelia is unable to face her fears and deal with them by herself. Ophelia is horrified with Hamlets incredibly unnatural actions and immediately seeks the comfort of her father. She has guilt towards Hamlets actions and feels that because she chose a life without him he has been driven to a lovesick madness. Her interactions with both Hamlet and her father help show that her relationships have manipulated her sane mind into madness. She was unable to confront Hamlet about why he acted in such a manner and express her feelings to him and instead took to the safety of her father. Secondly, it could be said that Ophelia chose to follow her father’s wishes and break off her relationship with Hamlet but had the choice to save the relationship and deny her father’s wishes. Had she chosen to follow her heart rather than her father she may have been sparred some of the heart aching pain she had to deal with. It the result of her choice, rather than a direct problem involving her relationship with Hamlet, that spurred her madness. “Polonius: I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth, Have you so slander any moment’s leisure, As to give words or talk with the lord Hamlet. Look to’t, I charge you: come your ways. Ophelia: I shall obey, my lord.” (I, iii, 132-136) Ophelia obeys her father’s wishes even though she felt that she should remain with Hamlet. Enraged and discontented with her decision he verbally harasses her to a point of emotion disillusion. On several occasions does he insult her, once just after his infamous “To be or not to be…” speech and again during the play. Ophelia is caught between following her heart and disobeying her father or leaving her love. After trying to return the love letters Hamlet sent to her he becomes maddened with her and insults her promiscuousness. “Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me: I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do crawling between heaven and Earth! We are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us. Go Thy ways to a nunnery. Where’s your father” (III, I, 121-130) Hamlet tells Ophelia severally times to get to a nunnery which also means a brothel. After Hamlet exits after telling Ophelia this she is quite obviously disturbed with what Hamlet has told her. Her emotional fragility further leads her to insanity as Hamlet continues his ...