Hamlet And Ophelia Similarities

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In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet Prince of Denmark, the audience arrives in the story shortly after the death of the king and the crowning of the king’s brother as king (1.1.80-104). The story continues with Hamlet the prince encountering the ghost of his father. Hamlet is then told by the ghost of his uncle’s deceit and Hamlet is asked to take revenge for him (1.5.42-91). The audience watches as Hamlet deceives everyone in the castle and eventually obtaining revenge for the ghost at the cost of his life. It is important to note the presence of Ophelia throughout the tale as she is seen to be Hamlet’s love interest or potential other half. Through the course of the play similarities arise between Hamlet and Ophelia. One of the ways in which Hamlet and Ophelia are seen as similar is in their doubt. While Ophelia appears to…show more content…
Upon arriving at the cemetery to morn Ophelia’s death, Hamlet encounters two clowns and discusses one of the skulls as if he knew exactly whose it was (5.1.156-65). Hamlet’s behavior can be interpreted differently, but one way to interpret the scene is that Hamlet has gone mad and is now seeing the faces of people he once knew on the dead. Ophelia reflects Hamlet’s potential madness with her madness brought about by her doubt of Hamlet’s love and her father’s death. “Poor Ophelia / Divided from herself and her fair judgement…” (4.5.83-4) began acting in an unusual manner. Ophelia began to sing songs that had significant meaning to the people she was singing to, but at the same time appeared to be just nonsense. The audience cannot help, but have doubts about whether Ophelia is truly mad. If Ophelia was mad could she choose such appropriate songs? While the audience is uncertain, the characters in the play are certainly convinced of Ophelia’s
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