Inside Shakespeare’s mind:

Ophelia, in the purity of innocence

Shakespeare has always been unfair to his women characters in majority of his plays but creates Ophelia as the purest in virgin innocence. She has seen only two men in her life; her father, Polonius and brother, Laertes. Confined to a palace in which the late King Hamlet died of poisoning by his brother, the present King Claudius who married his wife, Gertrude.

The ghost of King Hamlet appears to Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, commanding him time to take revenge. The ghost appears at midnight in the battlement of the palace.

The trusting Ophelia falls deeply in love with Hamlet who returns same to her. But with the appearance of the ghost and revenge in his mind, Hamlet simulates madness, driving Ophelia to despair. She confides in her father that something has gone wrong with Hamlet. She is unaware what as to what is taking place in the palace which is uppermost in Hamlet's mind.

Synopsis

From where doth Shakespeare's superiority lie? It is in the variety of his gifts. Each play, each character he takes on reveals his genius. The variety in them never overlaps nor doth he repeat sequences. Only when we view him at a great distance, they discern his magnificent stature. It has been accepted his plays to be supreme masterpieces.

The quality, the literary argument that make up the bulk, shifts from strength to strength as scholars and researchers keep discovering.

Ophelia (Lynn Seymour) being rejected by Hamlet (Rudold Nureyev) in the ballet produced by the Royal Ballet.

They never diminish his reputation. He is never found twice at the same situation. The diversity exist everywhere in his drama. No one can ever complain about their flexibility.

The whole world persuades his audience. Possibly, Shakespeare may have seen some old plays performed at Coventry. He had the courage and urge to breathe new life to famous men, especially kings and popes. At times, he humanize characters, paint them in their true validity. The young Ophelia was innocent as he saw her from in out and her overbearing personality permits her not to sustain Hamlet's rejection.

Therefore, she becomes insane and cannot handle Hamlet.

Synopsis

Hamlet is sited in Denmark and written in 1601-2 and the play comprise some of Shakespeare's powerful characters are well remembered by the theatre going public as well as scholars. Hamlet has not yet succeeded his father when his uncle Claudius (King Hamlet's brother) ascends the throne after poisoning the king and marrying his wife, Queen Gertrude who also had a hand in the foul murder.

The ghost of the King appears to Hamlet urging revenge upon his murder. The ghost appears at Elsinor in the battlements of the castle at midnight where Hamlet waits for him. He tells Hamlet;

‘If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not’

Hamlet plans his strategy, forgetting Ophelia altogether. Unsure of himself, feigns madness which overwhelms Ophelia who is the daughter of Lord Chamberlain, Polonius.

Ophelia - .... Take these again, for; to the noble minrich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind. There my Lord.

Hamlet – Ha, ha are you honest?

O. - My Lord;

H. - Are you fair?

O. - What means your lordship?

H. - That if you are honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty.

O. - Could beauty, my lord have better commerce than with honesty.

H. - Ay’ truly for the power of beauty will sooner transform from honesty to what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty than translate force of beauty into his likeness; this was sometime a paradox but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once.

O. - Indeed my lord, you made me believe so.

H. - You should not have believed so, for virtue cannot so inculcate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not.

O. I was the more deceived.

H. Get thee to a nunnery, why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners. I am myself indifferent, honest but you could accuse me of such things.... As I do crawling between heaven and earth. We are arrant knaves; believe none of us. Go thy way to a nunnery. Where's your father?

O. - At home, my lord;... Act.111, Sce.11

This moment in the play is highly-strung, so poignant and gripping that many thespians failed to rise to its stature. From an islandwide search for the schools’ drama, I was chosen to play Ophelia when I was only fifteen years old.

I found it very stressful and too demanding but blessed with good rendering of dialogue which I knew by heart, I was able to overcome its intricacies much to the delight of my school. The impact it had on me, still lingers fresh in my mind.

Now, it's Ophelia turn to feign madness but she is really out of her mind, shocked at Hamlet's betrayal. She meanders about the palace offering flowers from the willow consisting fennel, rue and columbines.

Later, Ophelia drowns herself in the shallow pond. Later, the Queen enters as Laertes greets her.

Laertes – How now, sweet Queen?

Queen – One woe tread upon another's heel; so fast they follow. Your’ sister is drowned, Laertes

L.- Drown'd O'where?

Q. - There's a willow grows aslant a brook. That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream... Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide.

Act. V. Sce. VII

A churchyard. Enter two clowns with spades.

First Clown – Is she to be buried in Christian buriel, that willfully seeks her own salvation.

Act. V, Sce.1.

Enter Queen, Hamlet and Laertes.

Laertes – Lay her I’ the earth and from her fair and unpolluted flesh, may violets spring. I tell thee priest, a ministerial angel shall my sister be...

Hamlet – What? The fair Ophelia?

Queen – Sweets to the sweet, Farewell (scatter flowers. I hoped that thou should have been my Hamlet's wife.

I though that thy bride-bed to have deck'd sweet maid.. (Laertes leaping into the grave)

L – Now, pile your dust upon the quick and the dead... (Hamlet advance) The devil takes thy soul.

H – Thou pray'st not well (they fight fiercely and are seperated)

H – I loved Ophelia forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum. What will thou do for her?

Act V. Sce.1.

Why forty thousand times of love for Ophelia as against one from her brother, Laertes? Can someone tell me whether Hamlet loved Ophelia so much inspite of denying his love for her.

Such magnitude; such passion for an innocent maid. Lost for no reason.