Many people contend that a rotting skull is evident in the picture. Click on the picture to see if you can spot it.Visit the following links on Ophelia to see how she has been represented by a variety of artists over time:
Symbolism of the Flowers
Your Task:
We have examined in class the many different representations of Hamlet in film. Shakespeare leaves many situations in the play open to interpretation and debate. Similarly, his characterization of Ophelia does not offer the audience a full picture of who she is and what her motivation is. As Elaine Showalter writes, there can be Hamlet without Ophelia, but there is no Ophelia without Hamlet. Her character’s existence is entirely dependant on that of Hamlet’s.
Ophelia has been a source of inspiration for countless artists over the years and each artist chooses to represent Ophelia in a different way. What do you notice about the way that Ophelia is portrayed in the John Everett Millais painting? What characteristics does the artist imbue in his version of Ophelia?
Use the links to examine the different versions of Ophelia (the index on the last page of “Frailty Thy Name is Woman” may prove to be most useful). How do you believe Shakespeare intended Ophelia to be portrayed? What were here final moments like? Did she intentionally drown herself? Did she give in after the branch underneath her broke? Did Gertrude sit idly by and watch her struggle?
What do you believe is the reason for Ophelia’s madness? What contributed to her demise, in your opinion? How might you represent Ophelia? Be sure to cite the play to support your answer.
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