The Maidenhead Of Ophelia Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The Maidenhead Of Ophelia Essay, Research Paper In William Shakespeare # 8217 ; s Hamlet, the character of Ophelia is masqueraded as a demure, guiltless, adolescent miss. However, the behaviour disguised by this fa? fruit drink is much more interesting than we are led to believe. Throughout Hamlet, Ophelia is the mark of legion sexual insinuations and subsequently the confessor of her ain sexual experience. When these happenings become evident, Ophelia no longer holds the virginal qualities we were one time led to believe she possessed. Ophelia is foremost portrayed as an inexperienced person, or as her male parent, Polonius, describes, # 8220 ; a green miss # 8221 ; ( 1.3.101 ) . The concern lies non with Ophelia # 8217 ; s behaviour, but with Hamlet # 8217 ; s lubricious desires for her # 8211 ; she is told to see him no more. Polonius so confronts Gertrude and Claudius, Hamlet # 8217 ; s female parent and uncle/father, with Hamlet # 8217 ; s efforts to score his girl. As grounds, he has confiscated a love missive written to Ophelia by Hamlet. We will write a custom essay sample on The Maidenhead Of Ophelia Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Claudius challenges Polonius # 8217 ; s accusals by inquiring, # 8220 ; But how hath she received his love? # 8221 ; ( 2.2.127-28 ) . This response is the first deduction of the possible absence of Ophelia # 8217 ; s celibacy. The strongest suggestions toward Ophelia are made by Hamlet, himself. These seem to be the most important of any, because if anyone were to cognize of her pureness, or deficiency of, it would most probably be Hamlet. He inquiries Ophelia # 8217 ; s honestness and her equity. He tells her that # 8220 ; the power of beauty will sooner transform honestness from what it is to a prostitute # 8230 ; # 8221 ; ( 3.1.111-12 ) . A prostitute is a mention to a brothel-keeper. Hamlet declares that he loved Ophelia one time. He warns her that she should non hold believed him, because virtuousness is non something that can be replaced and they are now tainted. He informs her that he neer loved her. Possibly the harshest line with a mention to Ophelia # 8217 ; s province of virginity is when Hamlet announces, # 8220 ; Get thee to a nunnery # 8212 ; why wouldst 1000 be a breeder of evildoers? # 8221 ; ( 3.1.119-20 ) . He clearly states that Ophelia is a evildoer and any progeny would be evil doers. Hamlet tells her she should # 8220 ; get married a sap # 8221 ; ( 3.1.134 ) , and that alternatively of being honest, she pretends her immorality comes from artlessness, instead than experience. These decl arations quickly dissolve the fa? fruit drink environing Ophelia, go forthing no inquiries refering her hymen. Hamlet continues with the abuses, going more rough with each. He asks Ophelia if he should lie his caput in her lap. When she declines, he comments, # 8220 ; That # 8217 ; s a just idea to lie between amahs # 8217 ; legs # 8221 ; ( 3.2.105 ) . In mention to the drama Hamlet has written, Ophelia asks about the significance. Hamlet responds, # 8220 ; Ay, or any show that you # 8217 ; ll demo him. Be non you ashamed to demo, he # 8217 ; ll non dishonor to state you what it means # 8221 ; ( 3.2.127 ) . One of the last insinuation he has a opportunity to do was in stating Ophelia that # 8220 ; It would be you a moaning to take off mine border # 8221 ; ( 3.2.226 ) . Shortly afterwards, Ophelia was driven to madness. Ophelia # 8217 ; s ain confession that she has lost her virginity comes in her province of lunacy. She sings, # 8220 ; Then up he rose and donned his apparels / And dupped the chamber door ; / Let in the amah that out a amah / Never departed more # 8221 ; ( 4.5.52-55 ) . However, the most apparent transition comes shortly after when Ophelia sings, # 8220 ; Young work forces will make # 8217 ; t if they come to # 8217 ; t # 8211 ; / By Cock they are to fault. / Quoth she, # 8216 ; Before you tumbled me, / You promised me to wed. # 8217 ; / He answers # 8212 ; / So would I ha # 8217 ; done, by yonder Sun, / And 1000 hadst non come to my bed. # 8221 ; Ophelia is speaking about the promises Hamlet made to her before she had sex with him. Since he has told her that he no longer loves her, there is no ground for her to protect their activities any more. Although in a province of lunacy, Ophelia has eventually spoken the truth about her relationship with Hamlet. She no longer ca rries the character of an inexperienced person, chaste immature miss. Upon the first reading of Hamlet, several of these histories can easy be overlooked. Yet, when we look at the attitudes of other characters refering Ophelia, we begin to detect that there are inquiries about her actions. Her male parent, Polonius, seems to believe it is Hamlet # 8217 ; s mistake. Claudius and Gertrude question Ophelia # 8217 ; s character. Hamlet knows the truth, and speaks of it instead bluffly. Ophelia eventually reveals the truth to everyone. We no longer hold a ground to inquiry whether she is virginal or non ; she tells us rather clearly in her vocal.