Comparing Hamlet And Ophelia

Literature takes readers on a multitude of adventures. Despite a vast number of differences, the one common theme between all works of literatures is characters. Each tale contains its own set of personalities that are utilized to help progress the plot and help illustrate the overall message of the play. Although certain characters may contain similar qualities, each one is distinct in its own way as they tell a story unique to them. According to Albert Adler, they fall under one of four types -- ruling, leaning, avoiding, and socially useful ((Authors & Journal Psyche). Knowing the type of person each character is allows to understand the motivation behind their actions which reveals the true essence of each character. Specifically, in Hamlet,

However, she is a key figure in the love tragedy between Hamlet and Ophelia which is truncated by Hamlet when he decides to embark on a mad journey to avenge the death of his father (Gates). Hamlet cannot participate fully considering he is attempting to get revenge on Claudius. Generally, a love tragedy, “explores the vexed relations between individual desire and conformity to social duty,” (Gates). Accordingly, Shakespeare gives Ophelia a family that opposes her sexual desires for the idea of social rank (Gates). Laertes voices his opinions on this when he tells Ophelia that Hamlet’s, “will is not his own. / For he himself is subject to his birth” (Shakespeare 1.3.17-18). Polonius and Laertes claim that Hamlet is toying with Ophelia’s purity rather than seriously considering an alliance. Although Ophelia loves Hamlet, she remains obedient to her father by agreeing to cutting off all ties to Hamlet. Ophelia essentially, “lives at the point of tension between seeing herself as the obedient daughter of Polonius, subject to his will, and asserting her authentic self in her love for Hamlet” (Gates). At this point in the play Ophelia’s personality inhibits her from going against her father because she relies on her father to guide her through life. The love in the love story between Hamlet and Ophelia doesn’t progress much farther after this considering Hamlet is much too preoccupied with seeking revenge than to implore Ophelia to stay with him. Nonetheless, the tragedy in this love story