Examine Shakespeare's Presentation of Ophelia and how a modern audience might respond to her

Examine Shakespeare’s Presentation of Ophelia and how a Modern Audience might Respond to her.

Throughout the play, Ophelia is treated as an inferior by the men in her life. She is instructed and also used by them to achieve their own selfish goals. As Rex Gibson states, Shakespearean women were ‘virtually helpless pawns in the power games of their main relatives.’ Her tone towards them is most often submissive and accepting of their commands, although the audience is given occasional glimpses of the seemingly intelligent and opinionated young woman beneath her clichéd exterior. In the play, she is merely a side story. She has no particular role in the play rather than to reflect the traits of other characters, and this secondary importance to the plot reflects Shakespeare’s presentation of her.

Upon Ophelia’s first appearance in the play, it becomes obvious that she and her brother have a close relationship. Laertes tells Ophelia, ‘let me hear from you’, to which she replies ‘Do you doubt that?’ Laertes mentions Hamlet as a cause for concern,

‘weigh what loss your honour may sustain,

If with too credent ear you list his songs,

Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open

To his unmastered importunity.’

He believes that Hamlet’s intentions are dishonourable. He is quick to form this opinion, and as he feels he knows Hamlet’s true motives, this suggests that men of the era shared this abusive attitude towards women. While he may be expressing a genuine concern for his sister’s well-being, there is a tone of authority in his voice. He is not her father, but as a male he talks down to her. His primary concern may be more for the honour of his family, which Ophelia would destroy should she conduct a relationship with Hamlet. She does however retort defensively with,

‘Do not as some ungracious pastors do,

Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,

Whiles like a puffed and reckless libertine

Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads’.

Here she is warning him against hypocrisy and recognising that some men (‘ungracious pastors’) are promiscuous while expecting women to be virtuous. In seeing that society has double standards, the audience is shown that there is a side to Ophelia deeper than is obvious in most of her appearances in the play. A modern audience would feel that her reply is justified, and would respect her for standing up for herself. She has a more relaxed attitude to verbalisation of her thoughts when she is in the presence of her brother, but still respects and accepts his will. In conversation with Polonius for the first time in the play, the audience sees the submissive side to Ophelia. Polonius is also quick to suspect Hamlet’s motives, reinforcing the suggestion that all men of this time have a common view of women. Polonius’ treatment of her reflects the double standards of Shakespeare’s society, as he at first seems disgruntled that she acts like an inexperienced ‘green girl | Unsifted in such perilous circumstance’ and then goes on to say ‘think yourself a baby’, enforcing her inexperience. Ophelia implies her own inability to form an opinion – ‘I do not know my lord what I should think’. This seemingly ‘air-headed’ behaviour could cause much annoyance to a modern audience, whether she simply cannot think for herself or has an opinion and is too intimidated to voice it. Polonius’ perception of his daughter becomes clear with the statement ‘you have ta’en these tenders for true pay | Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more dearly’. The financial references here show that these ‘tenders’ are worth nothing to Polonius unless they become cash, or ‘stirling’, in his hand. The acquisition of wealth comprises all of Ophelia’s uses to him. She is a possession and a tool to him. This is noted by Gibson, ‘women were regarded as possessions, as capital to be exploited.’ He also harbours selfish concerns about his own social standing, and that Ophelia will ‘tender’ him ‘a fool’, as her behaviour reflects upon him as a father. Ophelia concludes by submitting yet again, ‘I shall obey, my lord.’ Despite the fact that Ophelia has firstly rebelled against expectations by meeting with a man without the permission of her father, or has ‘gone against social mores’ (Pitt), she continues to treat her father as her superior and conform to his wishes. Again the audience witnesses the dual personality of Ophelia. This could leave an audience confused, and unsure of exactly what to think of her as a character, as her true identity remains a mystery until her death.

This is a preview of the whole essay

After Hamlet advances upon her looking like ‘he had been loosed out of hell’, Ophelia runs to her father, seeking protection and comfort. She enters the room saying ‘O my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted’. Modern audiences may draw comparisons between this and the behaviour of a small child. Not only is she treated like one by men, but at this point she proves their treatment to be right. This might anger a modern audience who could perceive her to be lacking common sense and therefore totally unable to deal with a hostile situation. To increase the antagonism of a post-feminist audience, she then goes on to relate that she was ‘sewing’ in her ‘closet’ at the time of incident – while to a Shakespearean audience sewing was part of life for women, a modern audience would see this as a stereotypically effeminate activity being used by Ophelia to play up her helplessness. As stated by A. C. Bradley in the Victorian era, ‘a large number of readers feel a personal kind of irritation against Ophelia; they seem unable to forgive her for not having been a heroine.’ While this does not represent the viewpoint of today’s audience, it shows that even in Victorian times when women were still much less free than they are now, Ophelia’s helplessness is exaggerated to the point of irritation. We witness Ophelia’s utter submissiveness yet again, and her acting as if she has no thoughts of her own – ‘I do not know, | But truly I do fear it.’ Ophelia incessantly addresses her father submissively as ‘my lord’. It can be presumed that Ophelia has been taught to address him thusly, reflecting on Polonius as a father, who is an example of men at the time of the play. Polonius sees Ophelia as being far inferior to him. He speaks to her in short commands – ‘Come, go with me’, rather than asking her to do things. He also seems to think that she is untrustworthy, as he questions her, ‘Have you given him any hard words of late?’ suspecting that she has not done what he told her to do.

As Ophelia’s letters are read aloud, she stands on the stage in silence to endure this harsh and humiliating experience. She is utterly powerless as her most intimate secrets are exposed to the King and Queen. Her father has granted her no right to privacy, to the point that he publicly proclaims and meddles in her affairs. Polonius says ‘I have a daughter – have while she is mine’, this bluntly suggests his intentions to ‘sell’ her, and continues ‘Who in her duty and obedience, mark, | Hath given me this’. Here, it is as if he is marketing her, making her ‘good’ qualities known to the King and Queen, telling them to ‘mark’, possibly in the hopes that they approve of her as a wife to Hamlet. In this situation Polonius’ social standing would vastly improve. She is certainly seen by him as ‘capital to be exploited’. Upon the King’s questioning Ophelia’s chastity, Polonius asks him ‘What do you think of me?’ This shows that in a Shakespearean society, the behaviour of a daughter was seen to be an indication of how honourable her father was, again proving that women were taught ‘chastity, modesty, obedience and faithfulness to their husbands’ (Gibson), to be used as social and financial tools.

Elaine Showalter accurately describes Ophelia as ‘that piece of bait’. She is used to confirm whether or not Hamlet’s separation from her is the cause of his madness. Before the first conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia (which is held under surveillance by Polonius and the King), Ophelia is not even given a greeting, but is spoken to only by the Queen, and exclusively about Hamlet – ‘And for your part Ophelia, I do wish That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlet’s wildness’. Their main concern is Hamlet’s return to his prior sane state and hope to be able to use Ophelia as a way of bringing it about. Ophelia herself has absolutely no control over events relating to her. She speaks briefly, only when spoken to, and to express her desire to see Hamlet well again – ‘Madam, I wish it may.’ Her father again talks to her commandingly, as if she were a dog, ‘Ophelia, walk you here’. When she is at first left with Hamlet, she remains silent onstage throughout his long monologue, until he mentions her. A conversation begins with Ophelia’s greeting Hamlet, ‘Good my lord’, and hereafter she uses the words ‘my lord’ repetitively. When she mentions ‘rememberances’ that she as ‘longed long to re-deliver’, she is shunned by Hamlet, as he says ‘I never gave you aught’. Ophelia further shows the audience that she is an intelligent young woman rather than a girl who is full of nonsense. She elaborates on her feelings for Hamlet with the words:

‘My honoured lord, you know right well you did,

And with them words of so sweet breath composed

As made these things more rich. Their perfume lost,

Take these again, for to the noble mind

Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.

There my lord.’

The audience sees here through her passionate statement that these ‘words’ held great importance to Ophelia and that she is expressing the depth of her emotion. With Hamlet she gives the first indications of her true feelings, things that she would not share with her father. She is however belittled and mocked by Hamlet (‘Ha, ha, are you honest?’). Her clever response to Hamlet’s mad ramblings gives us another insight into the more hidden side of Ophelia.

Fundamentally, however, Ophelia is a side story, and is of secondary importance to the main plot and ‘has no story without Hamlet’. ‘She appears in only five of the play’s twenty scenes’ (Showalter) and is used to inform the audience of what Hamlet was like before his descent into madness. As stated by Angela Pitt, ‘Ophelia’s main function in the play is to illuminate a particular facet of Hamlet’s decline. She has known him in both friendship and gallant devotion’. She fulfils this role:

‘O what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!

The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s, eye, tongue, sword,

Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state,

The glass of fashion, and the mould of form’.

While we see here that she is articulate, is underestimated by Polonius and does have something of value to say, it is quite tragic that this outburst of expression is not of herself, but of Hamlet’s personality prior to his father’s death. As she is used throughout the play by men, here Shakespeare uses her as a way of imparting information to the audience. At this point in the play, the audience can sympathise with Ophelia, as the pain of rejection by a lover exists outside of time. By proving to the audience that she is intelligent and educated, she wins respect, as modern society values these qualities highly in both men and women.

Just before the play, Hamlet initiates a tirade of sexual references directed toward Ophelia. It begins with ‘here’s metal more attractive’, a mocking reference to her looks. He goes on to say to Ophelia ‘Lady, shall I lie in your lap?’ to which she replies ‘No my lord’. He persists in trying to humiliate Ophelia with phrases such as ‘Do you think I meant country matters?’ and ‘That’s a fair thought to lie between maid’s legs’. Ophelia’s responses are short and she again repeats ‘my lord’ – ‘No my lord’, ‘Ay my lord’, ‘I think nothing, my lord’. Her words are sharp and brief as she denies Hamlet the pleasure of provoking an outburst from her. While this repetition could show her merely being weak and submissive, as she is forced to take his insults, it can also be argued that she knows here exactly what she is doing, as she later goes on to retaliate, ‘You are naught, you are naught’ – ‘Ophelia’s naivety must be assumed and not genuine, because later she gives as good as she gets’ (Pitt):

‘Ophelia. You are keen my lord, you are keen.

Hamlet. It would cost you a groaning to take off mine edge.

Ophelia. Still better, and worse’.

Here she neglects to say ‘my lord’, which shows that her tone has changed, and she has given up trying to be tolerant of Hamlet.

Ophelia’s descent into madness portrays her in an ironic and rather tragic light. Her condition has caused her to be more vocal and to reject authority. Now people notice that Ophelia is speaking, and try to understand what she says, when her mind is not her own – nothing she says makes sense. Even though she is louder, her position is still largely unchanged – her madness expresses itself through her, but does not allow her to express her own true thoughts. At the time, women who were vocal and opinionated, who challenged authority or sought freedom were often portrayed as being insane. This overly emotional, nonsensical state was also thought to be womanhood in its purest, unsuppressed form – ‘Ophelia might confirm the impossibility of representing the feminine in patriarchal discourse as other than madness, incoherence, fluidity, or silence … Ophelia represents the strong emotions that the Elizabethans as well as the Freudians thought womanish and unmanly.’ (Showalter). The themes of her songs are death and true love – the two issues that have most recently affected her. Firstly, her exploitation by Hamlet:

‘And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

Then up he rose, and donned his clothes,

And dupped the chamber door,

Let in the maid, that out a maid,

Never departed more.’

In Shakespearean times, it was extremely important that a woman maintained her chastity – it is implied quite obviously by these songs that Ophelia did engage in sexual relations with Hamlet. This would have meant the loss of her reputation altogether. People will now take notice of these open declarations, as a woman her promiscuity is condemned, whereas a man’s promiscuity (Hamlet’s) will be overlooked. This exposes Shakespearean society’s double standards. A woman of high social standing such as Ophelia was expected even more so to exhibit virtue, and so was very vulnerable and open to condemnation, with every relationship putting her in a potentially life-destroying position. Now, when the relationship has dissolved, she is in a difficult position. Her imprisonment is particularly distressing to a modern audience, who are very used to seeing women with much more freedom. While today’s morals are not quite as tight as Shakespearean morals, a modern audience will still feel a lot of sympathy for the poor abused and abandoned Ophelia. As well as being an issue of chastity, it also involves trust. She trusted Hamlet with her love and her reputation – wrongly. Secondly, she sings about her father’s death:

‘At his head a grass-green turf,

At his heels a stone.’

His death has marked the loss of two of the men in her life who, while they were controlling and dictating, were all that she had, and both of whom she loved dearly.

When Ophelia falls into the river where she eventually perishes, she does nothing to save herself. She is as passive at the moment of her death as she was throughout life, doing nothing to save herself. Gertrude is able to describe Ophelia’s death in detail, down to the exact type of flowers Ophelia had decked herself with (‘crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples’). This may be seen as Gertrude’s expression of genuine sympathy for her fellow woman. Ophelia’s death can be seen as a suicide, but Gertrude, perhaps to prevent Ophelia from being denied a Christian burial, which would have deepened Laertes’ grief, describes her as having been ‘one incapable of her own distress’, suggesting that she fell in and simply did not care enough to get out.

Ophelia’s last influence in the play is her funeral, where Laertes jumps into her grave in grief. Hamlet however jumps in after him, and they begin to grapple irreverently, arguing over who loved her more:

‘Hamlet. I loved Ophelia, forty thousand brothers

Could not, with all their quantity of love,

Make up my sum – what wilt thou do for her?

Hamlet persists in trying to out-do Laertes in his love for his sister, to the point of ridiculousness – ‘Woo’t drink up eisel, eat a crocodile? | I’ll do’t.’ This sudden display of affection for Ophelia from Hamlet contrasts hugely with his treatment of her during her life, and seems unrealistic. Laertes’ grief for Ophelia is overshadowed by his desire for revenge as Hamlet has destroyed his family. The two use their ‘love’ for Ophelia as an excuse to let private rivalries surface, even at her funeral. This is symbolic of how she has been used throughout the play, by Polonius to get closer to the king and by Hamlet to portray his insanity.

To a Shakespearean audience, people’s treatment of Ophelia would have been typical of the way in which women were treated. Her silence and oppression would have been met with sympathy, as well the empathy of women of the time. While her situation with regards to Hamlet and his cold rejection of her still holds poignancy with a modern audience, people today may question more why she made little attempt to defend herself in certain situations, and why she so blankly followed the instructions of her father and brother at the expense of her own mental and emotional well-being.