Ophelia's Madness Essay

In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," Ophelia's madness is a crucial element that adds complexity to the plot and the characters. There are several reasons why Ophelia's madness is considered real in the play. Shakespeare shows the developing madness of the character, Ophelia, by showing her madness being triggered by trauma, her behavior, and the reactions of other characters in the play.

Ophelia's madness is triggered by a series of traumatic events, including the murder of her father, Polonius, at the hands of Hamlet. She is deeply in love with Hamlet, but he rejects her and treats her cruelly, causing her emotional distress. Ophelia is forced to deal with the conflicting emotions of loving Hamlet, who is the cause of her father’s death, and

This line directly references an older man and because of this detail, Polonius’s death has obviously taken its toll on Ophelia’s psyche, causing her to spout such wild and woeful songs. Further specific references to Ophelia’s father, such as “I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died. They say it made a good end” gives more credence to Ophelia’s shattered mental state, as she is constantly fixating on the death of Polonius, so much so that every single thing reminds her of his passing (4.5.180-181). Ophelia’s madness is perhaps overtaking her so much so that she does not even recognize whom she is talking to in this instance–her brother Laertes. Because Polonius was such a vital figure in her life, she is likely bereaved beyond help and thus does not recognize her brother. Another factor that contributes to Ophelia's madness is the pressure she feels from her

Her behavior is erratic, and she speaks incoherently. She also sings songs that are full of hidden meanings and symbolism, suggesting that her madness is not just a fleeting emotion but a deep-seated psychological condition. Ophelia's madness is recognized and acknowledged by the other characters in the play. Queen Gertrude is a vital character from the play due to her reaction to Ophelia. The Queen says, "poor Ophelia, divided from herself and her fair judgment," indicating that she is aware of Ophelia's mental state (4.5.91-93). The Queen is taken aback by how Ophelia has presented herself when she walks into the castle with flowers for everyone and by the way she speaks, or so to speak, sang to everyone. However, the explicit sexual references in Ophelia’s songs illuminates her obsession with the now absent Hamlet, as in “promising his love” to her earlier in the play and then being scorned, she is doubly heartbroken alongside the death of her father. With lines like “Young men will do’t if they come to’t / By Cock, they are to blame'' signifies a strange and perhaps oblique reference to a promiscuous or simply flighty man who promises love (or sex here with the word “cock”) but backs out after a brief time (4.5.59-60). This is compounded on by a following line, “You promised me to wed, / So would I ‘a’ done, by yonder sun, / An thou hadst not come to my bed.” and it is this part of