Ophelia is insane, though she may still be clinging to some shred of sanity. The distribution of her flowers is an emphasis on just how crazy Ophelia has gone. She places the meanings of each upon Claudius, Gertrude and her brother Laertes. Starting with rosemary Ophelia hands Laertes his first flower. Used for remembrance, rosemary is commonly used at funerals. For Ophelia to know the meaning of the flower as it was then this signifies that she knows that her time is short. With this knowledge Laertes has to judge the sanity of his dear sister. Having a flower commonly used at funerals and Ophelia drowning shortly after leads the thoughts to the fact that there is quite the possibility that she drowned herself on purpose. This is more for her brother because she said “pray you, love, remember.” (4:5:200). No one that was also a love to her. Brushing it off as her insanity the audience sees nothing into her making such a moment of ensuring she is remembered, later pointing more to a suicide than an accident. …show more content…
Pansies held a meaning of thoughts. Ophelia with her few drops of sanity left saw through Hamlet’s play. Urging the king to think of the evil he has done would be a sly way that she covers her ill intent with the insanity. Upon the Queen she dons fennel, for flattery. This shows the respect she has for the Queen. Along with that it is a symbol of thanks after they looked upon her as a viable wife for Hamlet. She may have just been using this as a stepping stone for her next flower. The Queen was also honored with columbines. Mainly symbolizing unchastity this is a blow to the Queen’s marriage to Claudius. The lack of pause between the two is an indicator that they were for the same person. Reinforcing the thought that fennel was less for any other purpose than to soften the blow of being told via flower that people see who’s being