Shakespeare cleverly uses Ophelia to reveal aspects of other characters’ personalities which the audience may have otherwise not been appreciated. She affects the audience’s response to the characters through language, interaction, comparison and contrast.
One of the vital dramatic functions of Ophelia is to give insight into Hamlet’s character and situation. She gives Hamlet’s actions and thoughts greater significance. His personality is highly complex, but through Ophelia the audience are perhaps better equipped to begin understanding it. It is through her that the audience learn the depth of his sorrow, confusion, the extent of his sense of betrayal by Gertrude and his resulting distrust of women, and can better understand his tragic flaw. Her weakness and insanity provide contrast which illuminates his strength, nobility and sanity.
Hamlet’s harsh treatment of Ophelia shows the extent to which his mother’s betrayal has affected his attitude to women as well as the depth of his grief and confusion. Disgusted by Gertrude marrying Claudius so soon after his father's death, Hamlet becomes distrustful of women, obsessed with the connection he believes exists between female sexuality and corruption. This is shown through Hamlet's damaged relationship with Ophelia, whom, as a consequence of his mother’s actions, he is incapable of trusting. He perceives Gertrude’s sexual misconduct as moral pollution that destroyed his facility to love Ophelia, causing him to question ‘are you honest?... are you fair?” (III.i.103) He curses her for committing “such an act / That blurs the grace and blush of modesty / Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose / From the fair forehead of an innocent love / And sets a blister there” (III iv 42- 45) The juxtaposition of the beautiful fragility of a ‘rose,’ (perhaps symbolic of Ophelia) and the ‘blister’ emphasises the extent of Hamlet’s damage. His mother causes his cursing of all women, “O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!” and made “marriage vows as false as dicer’s oaths’ causing him to tell Ophelia that they will “have no more marriages.” Ophelia represents the innocence and virtue of women, so Hamlet’s wrongful distrust of her is tragic and emphasises what Gertrude has inflicted upon him.
Polonius’ daughter provides contrast with Hamlet, clarifying that he is sane. He fakes madness in order to achieve revenge and for Shakespeare to maintain the audience’s support of Hamlet, he must have them aware that Hamlet’s madness is not true. An insane hero would not be a hero at all and his fate of little interest. Shakespeare presents ‘pure’ madness in Ophelia with her behaviour in act four, scene five. In her madness, her language lacks the ‘form’ that Hamlet’s never ceases to exhibit. The Gentleman’s description of Ophelia as ‘indeed distract’ and her speech ‘nothing’ precedes the audience seeing the change in her behaviour for themselves. This intensifies the focus on her when she enters singing incomprehensible songs, and puts emphasis upon her mad state. Laertes mourns that "a young maid's wits / Should be as mortal as an old man's life" (IV.v.157-158) and calls her "A document in madness" (IV.v.174) She is “divided from herself and her fair judgement” (IV v 83-84) and the dramatic function of this is to give the audience a bearing upon Hamlet’s madness, which is merely an ‘antic disposition’; he is “not in madness, but mad in craft.” Claudius notes that “what he spake, though it lacked form…was not like madness.” Ophelia ‘turns to favour and to prettiness’, whilst the opposite is true of Hamlet’s ‘mad’ behaviour.
Shakespeare’s creation of Ophelia aids the audience’s understanding of Hamlet because their stories parallel one another. Similar pressures bear down on both characters, but their reactions differ. Both suffer the murder of their fathers and betrayal by loved ones. Ophelia’s reaction is simple, and highlights the complexity of Hamlet’s reaction to his situation. She falls into madness and (arguably) takes her own life. In contrast miserable Hamlet only contemplates suicide. This shows his strength (meeting audience expectations, for he is the hero of the play) by highlighting the difficulty of rising above insanity and suicidal urges, making his success more impressive. He faces a constant struggle not to lose grip on his "capability and godlike reason" (IV.iv.38), not to let his heart lose its nature. As the audience is shown Ophelia’s failure at this task, they appreciate Hamlet’s strength in succeeding. He ponders on “to be or not to be,” but does not take his own life. Hamlet’s story shows the danger of madness and the potentially all-consuming nature of grief. Whether it was intended or not, Ophelia’s story adds power to this message.
Ophelia’s character evokes the audience’s sympathy for Hamlet. When Ophelia goes insane, symbolic of the breakdown of innocence, it highlights the corrupt and ‘rotten’ nature of Elsinore which enables the audience to understand Hamlet's rejection of that world. He is right to be disgusted as he is; his difficulty in accepting the cruel, false environment is evidence of his noble nature. The audience are then more likely to understand why Hamlet seeks to reimpose moral values on Elsinore, and support him.
Furthermore, Ophelia encourages sympathy by giving insight into how different Hamlet’s nature was, prior to his father’s death. In her sad reaction to Hamlet’s madness “O what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!” we see Hamlet as observed by her before he changed. She tells that he possessed “noble and most sovereign reason,” emphasising the extent of change he seems to have undergone. Her saying that he was once an incomparable prince, ‘the glass of fashion and the mould of form,’ (III.i.156) and an ‘unmatched form and feature of blown youth’ (III.i.162) but has now been ‘blasted with ecstasy,’ only serves to make Hamlet all the more tragic. Ophelia’s description cannot fail to evoke sympathy for him, be he truly mad or not.
In addition, it is Ophelia’s dramatic function to elucidate Hamlet’s tragic flaw- his indecisiveness and inability to act. This leads to his downfall, and it is vital that the audience appreciate this. He speaks of “some vicious mole of nature’… ‘Shall in the general censure take corruption from that particular fault,” to show that one character flaw can corrupt the entire person. Hamlet’s inconsistent behaviour towards Ophelia demonstrates his inability to make up his mind. This leads to his delay in dealing with Claudius and thus his demise. It is highlighted in conversation with Ophelia, when he states ‘I did love you once’ (III.i.115) then “I loved you not.” Only when she is buried can he conclude “I loved Ophelia.” Unless he has no time to reflect (for instance, when he kills Polonius), he appears incapable of deliberate action. Ophelia lends insight into Hamlet’s flaw by mirroring it. She is an entirely passive character; any action she takes is merely a response to others’ actions. Rather than actively jumping, she simply did not attempt to rescue herself when the branch holding her broke. This inaction is as characteristic of Ophelia as it is of Hamlet.
The exchange between Ophelia and Hamlet increases dramatic tension in the play. The realisation of Ophelia’s deceitfulness causes the terrible outburst of abuse as, adding to pre-existing feelings of betrayal by Gertrude, the other woman he loves has also let him down. Gertrude chose a brother over Hamlet’s dead father and now Ophelia chooses a father over Hamlet. She also pushes the plot along because his violent rejection of her; “I loved you not” - convinces Claudius that he is not really mad for her love and so immediately he determines to send Hamlet to England.
I think that even in his cruel treatment of Ophelia, she makes him a more sympathetic character. He refuses to listen to her and his harsh words “I loved you not.” (III.i.119) “Get thee to a nunnery.” And (III.i.121) “you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nickname God’s creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I’ll no more on’t;" (III.i.146-48), far from being evidence of a spiteful nature, just confirms the depth of his sorrow and disturbance by recent events. As commented upon by critic A.W. Von Schlegel, Hamlet is ‘too much overwhelmed with his own sorrow to have any compassion to spare for others.’
The fact he must forsake his love in order to appear insane and get his revenge is tragic. I think that Hamlet is truthful in later declaring “I loved Ophelia” but advises her to go ‘to a nunnery’ to escape the torturous nature and corruptive power of love. He is being ‘cruel to be kind,’ and his desire to protect her demonstrates his nobility. A nunnery would be a place where she could remain chaste and not be a ‘breeder of sinners.’
Ophelia gives the personalities of other characters greater depth, and consequently improves the play. Her nature contrasts and therefore emphasises that of others. Claudius’ coldness is highlighted when she describes Hamlet’s madness using beautiful imagery, saying that it has “sucked the honey of his music vows” and as “like sweet bells jangled out of tune and harsh.” Hers is a pitying speech that contrasts greatly with Claudius’ abrupt and heartless reaction, which is emphasised when so easily compared to Ophelia’s. He simply dismisses the notion of love- ‘his affections do not that way tend.” (III.i.165)
There is a great contrast, too, between the characters of Polonius’ children. This serves to highlight the qualities of each; while Ophelia is connected to water and submissiveness, and told “too much of water hast thou,” Laertes is the opposite, with a bold nature likened to “fire and blaze.” Ophelia goes mad as the violence of grief is internalised and destroys her, but in contrast her brother’s violence explodes outward- they enact the alternative responses to the power of grief.
Ophelia reveals much about Polonius, whom it is important that the audience have an understanding of. She exposes his inconsiderate nature and disrespect for others, perhaps lessening the audience’s readiness to sympathise with him upon his death. Ophelia is ruthlessly manipulated by her father. He extracts the details of Hamlet’s “solicitings” from her and proudly presents the love letter to Claudius. Hamlet beautifies Ophelia in it, yet Polonius calls it a “vile phrase.” He tells her he "would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look tot’s, I charge you. Come your ways." (I.iii.132-35) this highlights his controlling, egotistic nature. Polonius refers to the relationship as being like one of enemies, Hamlet being someone who Ophelia must protect herself from. Polonius makes decisions for his daughter without consideration of her feelings for Hamlet. His doubting of Hamlet’s intentions is perhaps more telling of his own disposition than of Hamlet’s; I think he judges Hamlet by his own standards. Polonius’ contempt for Hamlet is shown through Ophelia. The general implication is that romantic love is of no importance to Polonius. He is happy to manipulate Ophelia to his advantage. At the closing of the conversation, he hardly notices her distress and when he asks "how now, Ophelia?/ You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said./ We heard it all" (III.i.178) it is clear that to him her consternation is inconsequential; what matters is the political implication of what he has witnessed.
When Ophelia tells her father of Hamlet’s “holy vows from heaven,” his harsh rebuke “springes to catch woodcocks” likens her to a game bird considered to be foolish. He later speaks of her as if she were nothing more than an animal; “I’ll loose my daughter to him” (II.ii.160) which again indicates his lack of respect for his daughter. He and Claudius were concerned only with Hamlet and so she becomes lost in a “sea of troubles.”
Ophelia highlights key themes in the play, building on the ideas of deception, corruption and patriarchy that run through it.
Two central themes of the play are deception and the problem of making a distinction between appearance and reality. Few things in the play are what they seem to be; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are apparently Hamlet's friends, but are in fact spies commissioned by Claudius. There is a play within ‘Hamlet’ itself. Spying or eavesdropping occurs and “smiling villains” referred to. The actions of Ophelia also highlight this idea in a variety of ways. Ophelia is also used to portray the theme by the use of imagery. Polonius instructs her to “read on this book, / that show of such an exercise may colour / your loneliness. We are oft to blame in this, / ’tis too much proved, that with devotion’s visage / and pious action we do sugar o’er /the devil himself" (III.i.44-49). This shows how a holy face can be put on something to cover evil deeds.
The expressions of love may appear truthful to Ophelia, who speaks of Hamlet’s ‘affection’ for her, but (if Polonius and Laertes are to be believed) in reality they may be false, concealing less honourable intentions. Polonius swears that the ‘tenders of (Hamlet’s) affections’ for her are mere ‘brokers, not of that dye which their investments show / But mere implorators of unholy suits.” They may be traps, ‘springes to catch woodcocks.’ Ophelia also attempts to deceive Hamlet when she partakes in her father’s attempt to discover the cause of Hamlet's unusual behaviour. She appears to be alone and lies that her father is “at home” when in reality he is eavesdropping on their conversation. As previously discussed, Ophelia may only appear to be a naïve, innocent maid and be, in reality, the very opposite. In addition, her true madness contrasts with and therefore highlights the false nature of Hamlet’s. Hamlet comments upon how “God hath given you /one face, and you make yourselves another” and Ophelia does present various ‘faces’ to different characters, according to her relationship to them- acting innocent with her father, yet far less so in dealings with Hamlet. Hamlet also refers to the masking of reality by Ophelia when he says “I have heard of your paintings-” Hamlet believes that Ophelia may be deceiving him. If the interpretation that she commits suicide is correct, then the innocent imagery is another expression of the theme of illusion: her death appears to be an accident, but in reality is not.
Through the play runs the idea of necessity of revenge for the cleansing of social corruption. This corruption is portrayed in Ophelia’s demise, which also hints at the downfall of Elsinore. Imagery Hamlet adopts in his first soliloquy implies general corruption of the world and he states that He therefore aims to cleanse what is rotten in Denmark, but his failure to do so allows the triumph of disease and decay. Laertes warns Ophelia that “virtue itself ‘scapes not calumnious strokes,/ the canker galls the infants of the spring.” In addition to Shakespeare employing many images of disease and decay, he also includes several expressions relating to physical deterioration such as "the fatness of these pursy times" (III.iv.154) and "the drossy age" (V.ii.181). Ophelia’s own deterioration accentuates the theme but while all others perish due to their weaknesses, her demise is brought about by her virtues. Ophelia dies from loving too much and for being too pure. The potential of a stronger, wiser side to her character (hinted at by her comebacks at Laertes) is never realised. The coarse nature of the songs she sings in her madness shows that the corrupt world has taken its toll on the pure Ophelia. As discussed, throughout the play she represents innocence, emphasised by imagery and language. Her drowning depicts the death of innocence itself, thus indicates Hamlet’s failure and impending disaster for the court.
It has been suggested that Shakespeare’s plays “reflect and voice a masculine anxiety about the uses of patriarchal power over women, specifically about man’s control over woman’s sexuality. ¹” (¹Coppelia Kahn 1981 Man’s Estate: Masculine Identity in Shakespeare). This could indeed be true of ‘Hamlet,’ where the political world of Elsinore is shown not to be a place where women matter much, and this leads to their destruction. They do not have a say in anything; the world is presented as one where men are dominant and, if necessary, prepared to use women (even their own family) to benefit them in terms of power. Ophelia exemplifies this, confused by what is happening around her as she strives to do what Polonius, Laertes and Hamlet want her to. Polonius does not advise Ophelia to be true to herself as he advises Laertes, but points out that Hamlet has the freedom to do as he wishes whereas she does not. She is subject to the double standard of the difference between male and female freedom of choice and action. Laertes is treated very differently by his father in comparison to the lack of regard he shows Ophelia. Ophelia's wishes are never considered- women had little status.
Gertrude, too, has limited influence. Claudius and Polonius wield the power. Both women die but Ophelia's end bears particular significance because she is driven to it by events she cannot control. Her death indicates the corrupting effects of the male-dominated political realm of Elsinore, in which, as Polonius shows, there is little room for the consideration of love.
All of the characters fail in the sinful world of Elsinore, where there is no possibility for a fulfilled life. Ophelia’s demise adds to Shakespeare’s bleak message that evil can triumph. Defeat seems inevitable, whether they accept the conditions of Elsinore and live with the deceitful principles of the political world as Polonius does, or seek out love, as Ophelia does, or attempt to find sense in things, like Hamlet. In conclusion, through Ophelia a greater appreciation of other characters is achievable. She illuminates aspects of Hamlet- his suspicion of women and indecisiveness and, by comparison and contrast with her, also his strength, nobility and sanity. She gives insight into his nature both prior to and following his father’s death, therefore allowing the audience a better understanding of (and more sympathy for) him. Also revealed are aspects of Laertes and Polonius’ characters. Shakespeare uses Ophelia to add more depth to the themes of the play, namely the dangers of patriarchy, illusion and corruption. It is through Ophelia that Shakespeare achieves a genuinely tragic response to the play ‘Hamlet’.