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Ophelia’s role in the play revolves around her relationships with three men. She is the daughter of Polonius, the sister of Laertes, and up until the beginning of the play’s events, she has also been romantically involved with Hamlet.
- Ophelia
Polonius directs these words toward Ophelia, echoing...
- Polonius
Polonius’s actions suggest that in Hamlet, even...
- Hamlet
Polonius’s daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom...
- The Ghost
Hamlet struggles with his task of proper revenge, but the...
- Claudius
These words come at the end of the scene after Hamlet, who...
- Gertrude
The Gertrude who does emerge clearly in Hamlet is a woman...
- Laertes
It is only Claudius’s influence that convinces Laertes to...
- Suggestions for Further Reading
Kerrigan, William. Hamlet’s Perfection. Baltimore, MD: Johns...
- Ophelia
Though there are only two traditionally female characters in Hamlet — Ophelia and Gertrude —the play itself speaks volumes about the uniquely painful, difficult struggles and unfair fates women have suffered throughout history.
Polonius’s daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. Ophelia is a sweet and innocent young girl, who obeys her father and her brother, Laertes. Dependent on men to tell her how to behave, she gives in to Polonius’s schemes to spy on Hamlet.
The Gertrude who does emerge clearly in Hamlet is a woman defined by her desire for station and affection, as well as by her tendency to use men to fulfill her instinct for self-preservation—which, of course, makes her extremely dependent upon the men in her life.
Need help on characters in William Shakespeare's Hamlet? Check out our detailed character descriptions. From the creators of SparkNotes.
After Hamlet kills her father, Ophelia is driven to madness and dies, presumably by suicide. In her madness, Ophelia’s disjointed stories and songs often touch on themes of sex, betrayal, and ...
Understand every line of Hamlet. Read our modern English translation. Polonius ’s daughter, Laertes ’ sister, and Hamlet ’s lover. Along with Gertrude, Ophelia is the only other female character in the play, Ophelia’s actions and trajectory are unfortunately defined by the men around her.
