“And hath given countenance to his speech, my lord, With almost all the holy vows of heaven.”
Shakespeare uses this positive language to show Ophelia’s naivety, Ophelia seems certain that Hamlet truly loves her and has shown her affection. Shakespeare uses positive language to show Ophelia’s confidence, like “has” and “all the holy vows of heaven”. Shakespeare very cleverly uses this positive language to show naivety as Shakespeare has already shown Hamlets state of mind, that he is deeply disturbed and at that moment of time would not be able to show anybody true affection or love as he would have his mind on more pressing matters.
Ophelia’s naïve character is again shown by Shakespeare by her loyalty and devotion to her corrupted father, Polonius. She agrees to spy on Hamlet and unquestionably agrees to all his demands. This shows true naivety as her father is part of the new corrupt and untrue realm that she accepts to be lawful. Shakespeare continues to use the people surrounding Ophelia to show her untainted character, as he shows the characters around her continually needing to make sure that she does not do something ridiculous. Her father even points out her frailty.
“You speak like a green girl”
Polonius is telling Ophelia and the audience that she is naïve and is too trustworthy. For someone’s father to personally insult their daughter then it must be a pressing matter. The language used by Polonius is very aggressive, this is to try to make Ophelia see people for what they are. With all the events occurring around her it only shows that Ophelia is an honest, naïve young woman not open to what is occurring around her. Shakespeare again shows Ophelia’s compliant and honest character, Ophelia says “I shall obey”. The language used by Shakespeare is very respectful and makes the audience think that Ophelia’s character is very untainted and trustful because she is always does what she is told. Shakespeare again shows Ophelia’s honest character by again using obedient and passive language when she says “as you did command, I did repel”
Shakespeare re-affirms Ophelia’s obedient character by language used by others about her.
“At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him”
Shakespeare uses language like “loose” to show Ophelia’s character. The language used by Shakespeare portrays to the audience that Polonius possesses Ophelia like an object. This shows the audience that Ophelia’s innocence and acquiescence to Polonius has created a situation where Polonius feels he owns Ophelia like a possession not loved like a daughter.
Ophelia’s character can be shown by the way she interacts with the others around her and the circumstances. Shakespeare uses direct and blunt language from Hamlet to show Ophelia’s character. Hamlet says to Ophelia “I loved you not” very aggressively. People with a character that is disreputable, like some critics have said of Ophelia, would have acted in a completely different way. Ophelia reacts very calmly as though it doesn’t affect her, but the audience know that she didn’t expect it. Shakespeare uses Ophelia’s reaction to display her character to the audience and gain sympathy for her cause.
“I was more deceived”
Shakespeare uses very calm language to show that Ophelia is very shy and innocent and uses different prose during Hamlets onslaught on Ophelia to help show a change in the mood of the play with the dark atmosphere and the crude dialogue. This shows Ophelia’s character to be very passive and certainly not volatile. This proves to the audience that Ophelia is the untainted, drawn-back young woman she is portrayed to be. She even finds the courage to carry on talking to Hamlet in a controlled fashion. This shows that although Ophelia is very shy she is also resilient and has a lot of pride not to show her true feelings.
When Hamlet starts to heavily insult Ophelia she finds good in Hamlet, when she says;
“I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry”
She replies
“O heavenly powers, restore him”
Ophelia seems to find good in everybody’s character, as many would quite rightly blame Hamlet she simply blames an external factor like God or that Hamlet has been taken over by an evil spirit. This really shows Ophelia’s passive and pure character. Hamlet is trying his best to deeply hurt Ophelia but her innocent character is shown to the audience by the fact that Hamlet is not trying to hurt her but is deeply disturbed by her refusal to reply to his advances, perhaps this shows naivety as well?. Shakespeare uses calm language like “heavenly” to show Ophelia’s passive and calm nature, Shakespeare creates Ophelia’s character by her always trying to diffuse aggressive situations with calm language. Ophelia’s importance as a character is shown by Shakespeare allowing her a very rare soliloquy, during this Ophelia still praises Hamlet which will make the audience incredulous after what had previously been said.
“Oh what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!”
This again shows Ophelia’s forgiving character as she is able to find virtuous qualities in everybody, plus it shows naivety because she believes Hamlet doesn’t mean it. Shakespeare uses this soliloquy to state Ophelia’s character firmly to the audience.
Like sweet bells jangled, out of time and harsh”
Shakespeare uses pure language such as “sweet” and music imagery to show to the audience Ophelia’s character. This dialogue and imagery used in this situation shows Ophelia’s character to resilient and untainted.
Ophelia’s passive nature is shown again when subjected to much sexual innuendo by Hamlet. Shakespeare uses dialogue and text to show Ophelia’s lack of knowledge.
Hamlet: “That’s a fair thought to lie between maids legs”
Ophelia: “What is, my lord?”
Hamlet: “Nothing”
Shakespeare uses questions to show Ophelia’s lack of sexual knowledge, this makes it seem like Ophelia is very naïve. I believe that this shows a lack of sexual knowledge and understanding because someone who is sexually experienced would have of been a lot more coy when responding to such sexual innuendo, certainly not responding with questions. This shows Ophelia’s honest and pure, unblemished character to the audience.
Throughout the play Shakespeare uses language and dialogue to portray to the audience Ophelia’s character, even through all the events occurring around her she keeps her innocent and shy character not aware of the corrupt dealings occurring around her. She is subjected to personal insults and sexual-innuendo but still she remains honest. This is apparent tot the reader that Ophelia’s naïve character is being used by Shakespeare to set her up for a big fall and as shown in the play depression and madness. I believe that this portrays to the audience Ophelia’s pure and untainted character, as the big shock of finally discovering the corrupt world around her when her father is killed. This highlights her naïve character because someone who was more aware or “streetwise” would have noticed all the hypocrisy and corrupt dealings occurring and this wouldn’t have been reduced to a deranged, nervous wreck, bemused by the world around her. Madness leads to a contrast in character and Shakespeare uses this to his advantage by completely changing Ophelia’s Character when she had broken down, this is used to great effect to highlight her real character previously.
“Young men will do’t if thy come to’t-
By cock, they are to blame”
This would leave the audience incredulous and bemused by what Ophelia has said. Shakespeare uses rhyme, detailed slightly annoyed and blunt language to shock the audience. This is used in direct contrast to the passive, inert language used before. The new open character of Ophelia highlights to the audience her very innocent and untainted character as that was half the problem previously. This depression later leads to Ophelia’s demise and eventual death by falling from a window to her end.
I believe that if Shakespeare had meant Ophelia to be the disrespectful woman who many critics portray her to be then he would have created her to be very obviously so. As in his other plays Shakespeare has created women to be purely distinctive in character. Juliet was shown to be absolutely in besotted and devoted to Romeo and Lady Macbeth was portrayed to be absolutely power hungry. If Shakespeare followed the same pattern for Ophelia then if she was supposed to be a disrespectful young woman then he would have made this absolutely certain to the audience, which he hasn’t done. Also the period of the play meant that Ophelia would have been the honest virginal character Shakespeare portrays to the audience. Women of her social standing and class would have meant that he would have to play the untainted and person created by Hamlet because that is what would have been expected by those around royalty.
I believe that Ophelia has an Honest, passive, inert and untainted character who is virginal. Shakespeare uses passive calm and un-abrasive language to show to the audience Ophelia’s innocence. This is used to create an un-responsive character to the sexual-innuendo and personal insults directed to her. I can see why some critics have interpreted Ophelia’s innocent and naïve character to be coyness, but I believe this to be untrue. This can be shown by her interaction with those around her. When Hamlet subjects her to sexual-innuendo she replies unknowingly and quite honestly which shows her to be virginal.
Shakespeare uses Ophelia as the person who is dramatically effected by the events in the play, she is used as the love interest to Hamlet, daughter of the kings corrupt councillor and an innocent bystander to the volatile environment around her. I believe that Shakespeare uses her to link many of the complex themes surrounding her and to show the effects that such dealings can have on people.