“The pangs of despised love” (3.1.72). In The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare Ophelia is being emotionally abused by Hamlet and the people she cares about. This abuse causes her to feel fragile, and ultimately leads her to commit suicide. Love can lead to many different passages in life.
Ophelia is a gentle, obedient person, who has very limited options as a woman, other than to be docile. Her first priority is to be obedient towards her brother, Laertes, and to her father Polonius, “ ‘Tis in my memory locked, And you yourself shall keep the key of it” (1.3.93-94). Before Laertes left to attend school in France, he advised his sister Ophelia to keep her prized possession away from Hamlet and to keep her distance from him. Ophelia vowed to follow his advice and gave him the key to her memory. After Laertes left for France, Polonius was curious about what his son had told Ophelia, and he approached her and asked her. “I shall obey my lord” (1.3.145). Polonius told Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet because all he would do is use her for his own
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“I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say he made a good end” (4.5.207-209). Ophelia has been going mad ever since she found out that her father had been murdered by the one and only person she wants to marry, Hamlet. Hamlet promised Ophelia many things; he told Ophelia that he loved her many times, but in the end he would insult her and make her feel worthless. “ Before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed” (4.5.57-58). Before Hamlet supposedly made love to Ophelia, Hamlet promised her that he would marry her. Instead, he just ended up mocking and offending her. Laertes came home when he found out his father was murdered, but he found Ophelia going mad, “Drowned, drowned” (4.7.210). Queen Gertrude informed Laertes that Ophelia had committed suicide in a creek. She was sunk down by her