Too much water hast thou, poor Ophelia...

As we have examined some of the different representations of Hamlet, we have seen how the play leaves many events and people open to debate and interpretation.  Just like Hamlet, over the last several hundred years, Ophelia has become a muse in her own right.  She has inspired songs, art, poetry, a sequel to Hamlet, and was even used by early psychologists as the face of female madness against which other patients were compared.

The video here, by Kula Shaker, is one of the most closely aligned with the play - note how Hamlet's love note to Ophelia actually makes its way into the lyrics.  But this is by no means the only music video on Opehelia; a simple search on youtube will yield hundreds.  Similarly, you can trace Ophelia's evolution through the work of artists in a google search, as well as in this gallery, who seek to breathe life back into Ophelia, to represent her tragedy, or to remind us all that Ophelia was an important part of the play, too.

John Everett Millais' Ophelia

You can find a full explication of this painting here.

This summer when I had the chance to go to London, I made it a point to stop by the Tate Museum to see the famous "Ophelia" by John Everett Millais.  This is perhaps one of the most famous paintings of Ophelia, perhaps because of its hauntingly realistic appearance, or the eerie peace in death that it conveys.  Or maybe it is because, as some people say, you can see a skull hidden in it.  This picture is from my trip, but you can take a closer look here.  

Representing Ophelia

Shakespeare's characterization of Ophelia does not offer the audience a full picture of who she is and what her motivation might be.  As Elaine Showalter writes in "Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism," in , there can be Hamlet without Ophelia, but there is no Ophelia without Hamlet.  Her character’s existence is dependant on that of Hamlet’s.  

Despite this, or maybe because of it, Ophelia has been such a source of inspiration over hundreds of 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?  How does it differ from other artistic represenations of Ophelia?

Follow some of the links above (and here) to research Ophelia and consider:  How do you believe Shakespeare intended Ophelia to be portrayed?  What were her final moments like?  Did she intentionally drown herself?  Did she just give in after the branch underneath her broke?  Did Gertrude let her die?

What do you believe is the reason for Ophelia’s madness?  What contributed to her demise, in your opinion?  Do you feel sorry for her?  Indifferent? How might you 'represent Ophelia?' 

Your Task

As we see in the play, the circumstances of her death prevent Ophelia from having a proper burial.  After you have considered the questions above for yourself, construct a 'eulogy' for Ophelia.  What words would you read at her funeral? 

Because this is a fictitious assignment, you can choose to honor Ophelia, or you can agree that she perhaps did not deserve more in the way of burial rites.  This, of course, is open to your opinion, depending on how effectively you support it.  

In at least 2 paragraphs, eulogize Ophelia; give her the burial rites you believe she deserves based on whatever your opinion of her character is.  

You can visit the blog here, or do a simple search to find out more about writing a eulogy.