Ophelia
Viviana Martin-Gomez
Ophelia is a character with a fixed mindset.
The following quote is said by Claudius; "Sweet Gertrude, leave us too,/For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,/That he, as ’twere by accident, may here/Affront Ophelia.Her father and myself (lawful espials)/Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen,/We may of their encounter frankly judge,/And gather by him, as he is behaved,/If ’t be the affliction of his love or no/That thus he suffers for." (3.1.29-38)
Ophelia could have spoken up for herself at this point. She could have told them it was an invasion of privacy. Also, she could have asked Claudius and Gertrude why they couldn't just ask him what was causing his actions since he is his nephew and her son.
Every part of her life is openly discussed by everyone.
"Marry, well bethought./'Tis told me he hath very oft of late/Given private time to you, and you yourself/Have of your audience been most free and bounteous./If it be so as so ’tis put on me—/And that in way of caution—I must tell you,/You do not understand yourself so clearly/As it behooves my daughter and your honor./What is between you? Give me up the truth." (1.3.90-98)
These lines directed to Ophelia by her father Polonius, show how him and Laertes treat her. After Polonius says this, Ophelia proceeds to tell him what has been going on between her and Hamlet. Her actions are too weird, what young lady would want to tell her father about her personal love life with so much detail. At first she seems reluctant to go into detail but then she just starts speaking about it without leaving any information out. He pretty much tells her that she isn't behaving properly that she should know better. Ophelia doesn't even try to defend herself and tell her father that she actually likes Hamlet. Before this, she sort of tries defending herself from Hamlet when she tells him he shouldn't speak if he can't do the same but he just dismisses her comment by saying he won't. Other than this part, she only tries to speak up when she begins going crazy.
Ophelia's destruction was her loneliness and lack of direction.
She goes crazy when her father, Polonius, dies. After her father's death, Ophelia finds herself completely alone. Laertes is still in France. Hamlet, the 'love of her life,' is who killed her father and he is sent to England. She felt like she had no purpose or guidance in life anymore without any of them there. Ophelia ended up drowning herself, instead of facing life.