The Role of Ophelia in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Papers Sh

The Role of Ophelia in William Shakespeare's Hamlet Although Ophelia is not a main character in the revenge tragedy 'Hamlet' her dramatic purpose is vital to the play. It emphasizes the poisoned body politic and its affects on the innocent. The role of women in the sixteenth century is to be obedient and dutiful, the only way to accomplish this was to be passive. Women in the sixteenth century were meant to be obedient to their fathers, for they were their property until such a time came when she was married, it would then be her husband to whom her duties lied. Denmark is in a state of chaos shown by the opening death of the true King Hamlet who was murdered by his own brother Claudius, Claudius then seduced his brothers wife and took over the thrown of Denmark. Due to this chaos innocence, loyalties and love are corrupted and all that was good and dutiful falls into darkness under the ruling of evil. Ophelia is a women of the court her duty is to her father Polonius, and her brother Laertes. It is her fathers intentions to marry Ophelia off to a suitable and profitable match. We first meet Ophelia whilst she is saying farewell to her active brother, Laertes, who is going with friends to university leaving Ophelia with only her father to tend to her needs. Unlike her brother, Ophelia is passive, a dutiful daughter and everything she should be for a women of the court in the sixteenth century. However this is only acceptable in a righteous Court, Denmark however is in a state of chaos and Ophelia’s passivity can only lead to her destruction. Whilst Ophelia is talking to her father once Laertes has left for universi... ... play to measure the corruption, she is a catalyst for the revenge tragedy, for without her death we would not be able to understand the true corruption and evil that runs its course through Denmark like poison. Ophelia may not be a main character or agent in the play but her dramatic purpose is vital to the plays understanding and interpretation. To conclude Ophelia is vital to the play and its understanding even though she is not a protagonist, without her innocent and passive character it would be hard to understand the true destructive nature of the mislead court. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Rebecca West â€Å" The Nature Of Will† in Hamlet : Norton critical edition p.230 [2] Rebecca West â€Å" The Nature Of Will † in Hamlet: Norton critical edition p.231