Hamlet Essay | Essay

This student essay consists of approximately 4 pages of analysis of Ophelia's Virgin Suicide.

Hamlet Essay | Essay

This student essay consists of approximately 4 pages of analysis of Ophelia's Virgin Suicide.
This section contains 978 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Student Essay on Ophelia's Virgin Suicide

Ophelia's Virgin Suicide

Summary: This is an essay about women's roles in Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
The visual image most popularly associated with William Shakespeare's play Hamlet is that of young Ophelia's body floating in the river after her suicidal drowning as described in Act 4, Scene 7, lines 167-184. Shakespeare's captivating illustration of an unstable young woman finally at rest has been portrayed by several artists because of its beautiful, whimsical narrative. Ophelia's depiction throughout the play personifies not only youthful love, loss, innocence and naïveté, but also the dependent role of women in the time of Shakespeare.

Throughout the play Hamlet, Ophelia is associated with floral imagery. Her father, Polonius presents her with a violet, she sings songs about flowers when she turns mad, she drowns amid garlands of flowers, and finally, at her burial, Queen Gertrude tosses flowers into her grave. Flowers symbolize her fragile beauty, blossoming sexuality, and a condemned innocence. Flowers are not deeply rooted. They are beautiful living things...

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This section contains 978 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Student Essay on Ophelia's Virgin Suicide
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