• Tragic, because it was preventable.
  • Hamlet’s death also preventable, but inevitable - a reaction to his mistake of killing Pol.
• Hamlet morrally questionable - his death justified, whereas Ophelia’s was not
• Hamlet was completely unaware of the consequences of killing Polonius
• She was passive - not involved in any drama -
  • Feminist reading: Elaine Showalter Oph.’s madness
• Her death could be entirely blamed on others
  • Hamlet and Polonius
• Voltaire: “the fruit of the imagination of a drunken savage”

Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is undeniably centred around the character of Hamlet. Ophelia’s tragedy within the play undertones Elizabethan historical issues with women, whereas the tragedy of Hamlet focuses on reinforcing the ‘divine right of kings’ and rebuking regicide.

Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in mind of pleasing James VI of Scotland, who had just crowned young King James I. To ease societal uproar, Shakespeare writes the play Hamlet, with the character of young Hamlet’s throne being stolen in front of him The play addresses issues created by fate in that inevitably the death of Hamlet, Ophelia, and Polonius. Shakespeare makes Hamlet’s traits perfect for that of a king; witty, intelligent and a good communicator with commoners. Shown through his constant puns “more than kin, and less than kind” and the scene in which he talks to the gravediggers at the start of Act 5.

Ophelia