The Consequences Of Ophelia's Madness In Hamlet

Madness, also known as extreme mental illness is a very complicated ailment, which science has yet to fully examine. During the 15th century there was very little known about mental illness which made it a fascination for many because it is beyond scientific understanding. In William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark madness is a very prevalent theme. In the play there are many characters that show signs of madness, however only one character truly goes mad. The character Ophelia experiences a mental breakdown that is so sudden and dramatic it is more of a total mental collapse. Many different characters contribute to Ophelia’s descent into madness, all are male roles. Ophelia’s madness is a direct effect of the abuse

It is a supposition that Ophelia’s madness begins when she believes herself to have unwillingly destroyed her lover (Romestant 4). Ophelia ends her relationship with Hamlet as Polonius orders. After Ophelia ends the relationship Hamlet begins his antic disposition. Hamlet is uses the end of the relationship to secure his antic disposition to other characters such as Claudius and Polonius. Hamlet uses Ophelia for his own personal gain, he toys with her emotions by making to seem as though she is the cause of his madness. Hamlet emotionally abuses Ophelia with no regard for her psychological well-being. Hamler abuses Ophelia’s emotions on more than one occasion, he abuses her emotions again when he says, “Get the (to) a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be / a breeder of sinners?” Hamlet (III.i.131-132). This is another example of Hamlet abusing Ophelia to solidify his antic disposition. He loves Ophelia however he still insults her and pushes their relationship further apart, with no regard for anyone but himself. Ophelia loves Hamlet and she know thinks that their relationship is over, this puts a lot of strain of her emotion state possible too much. Hamlet emotionally abuses Ophelia for his own personal gain, Ophelia ultimately blames herself and she descends into

The male characters that use her in their schemes have no regard for her wellbeing. Ophelia is merely a convenient tool to be exploited and manipulated (Chen 2). Polonius uses Ophelia to gain favor; Laertes, to belittle Hamlet; Claudius, to spy on Hamlet; Hamlet, to express rage at Gertrude and Hamlet again, to express his feigned madness with her as decoy. All the manipulation that Ophelia experiences have a major impact on her physiological state of mind, all the male characters that use her for personal gain are physiologically abusing her. Claudius and Polonius use Ophelia in their plan to spy on Hamlet, this is shown when Claudius