Ophelia Flashcards
(Gregory Doran) Tennant adaptation - Mariah Gale is Ophelia.
Ophelia’s feelings towards Hamlet’s antic disposition
- O physically cries whilst speaking of Hamlet’s ‘noble mind’ - true empathy which would be reflected by the audience
- Ophelia, unjustly, blames herself for Hamlet’s madness due to her influence over him.
- Whilst calling herself ‘most deject and wretched’, Gale looks to heaven = repenting for her role in Hamlet’s downfall.
- audience aware both that Hamlet’s madness is feigned, and that her role was forced by her father = heightened sympathy
Feminist perspective - female corruption by men
- Ophelia heavily influenced and corrupted by the men in her life, including her father and brother
- Polonius exploits her in his “heartbreak experiment” for Claudius
- when Hamlet himself harasses her, shouting ‘get thee to a nunnery’ both in an attempt to control her and to use her in his madness ploy
- Ophelia’s mental illness is belittled as what Elizabethans termed ‘female love melancholy’
2016 RSC production - Natalie Simpson is Ophelia.
portrayal of Ophelia’s madness
- she tackles Gertrude in a sexualized manner which mirrors what Hamlet did to her in the ‘nunnery scene’
- her sexuality, embodied in Hamlet, has corrupted her ability to function within a patriarchal society.
- Ophelia’s songs in Act 4, Scene 5, where, despite her madness, she is able to lament for her relationship with Hamlet, which ended in her rejection - making insightful comments about the nature of young men and their fleeting feelings for girls: ‘Young men will do’t if they come to’t – by Cock they are to blame’.
- she feels Hamlet is responsible for her warped and negative view of men and sexual relations
John Everett Millais’ painting of Ophelia’s suicide (Ophelia – 1851)
- portrayal as childlike would also evoke pathos from an audience as it makes her death that of an innocent.
- often dressed in white, particularly in her madness scenes
- painting showcases her with flower garlands and pale skin, further infantilizing her
Franco Zeffirelli’s adaptation - Helena Bonham Carter is Ophelia.
portrayal of Ophelia in madness
- cheeky and childlike, toying with both a guard and Gertrude, and then by sharing “secrets” with Claudius, who is portrayed as almost fatherly to her.
- This adaptation therefore allows her to retain some humanity, such that the audience can still connect with her - more sympathy for her suicide
exploit of Ophelia after her death
‘hold off the earth awhile’.
- poignant infantile image
- but also displays the control Laertes wishes to have over Ophelia, even after her death
- Ophelia’s purpose shifts again to become the source of the macho rivalry between Laertes and Hamlet over who loved her more –
‘forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum’.
- seen in both Kenneth Branagh’s and Gregory Doran’s adaptations
- even beyond death, Ophelia is exploited, and unable to rest, in this patriarchal society.
Zeffirelli (1990) Hamlet = Mel Gibson
- placement of “get thee to a nunnery” line + effect
“get thee to a nunnery” placement - Hamlet says this just before his play The Mousetrap begins
- rather than shouting this line as in other adaptations, says it quietly and solely to Ophelia (out of
earshot from Polonius and Claudius) - sincere? or acting antic disposition to Ophelia?
- After The Mousetrap play and after Hamlet rejoices for the proof of Claudius’ guilt, he goes up to
Ophelia and says one more time “get thee to a nunnery” and kisses her - genuine concern for her corruptibility?
- BUT is a fickle attempt to save Ophelia (similar to Laertes’ brotherly concern for Ophelia’s reputation) - Ophelia’s eventual madness: male counterparts preoccupied with saving only her virginity and reputation, to save the patriarchal order; Helena Bonham-Carter plays v passive and non-playful Ophelia -> direct contrast to her sexualised character when in madness (repressions come to forefront)
Maxine Peake - Hamlet
- portrayal of Ophelia
Ophelia leans back on chair as Laertes lectures her to be careful (not listening), then downs a glass of wine - strong, independent Ophelia
- Resents lectures from brother and mother (Polonia), replies in sarcasm
- argues back fervently with Polonia
- O: “I shall obey, mother” said with anger/resentment/sarcasm
Maxine Peake - Hamlet
- scene of Polonius telling Claudius about Hamlet’s love for Ophelia
Polonia gets Ophelia to read out note to her from Hamlet - Ophelia more directly involved;
- Claudius asks Polonia rather than Ophelia herself whether Ophelia returns Hamlet’s affections
Maxine Peake - Hamlet
- G and O
Gertrude presents affection towards Opehlia, gives her back the note with a hand affectionately /comforting on her shoulder
“Mermaid-like awhile”
A moment of beauty in Ophelia’s death reminds us of her purity, how she suffers in face of corruption
Hamlet to O: “God hath given you…
Hamlet to O: “God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another”
Branagh - Ophelia and Laertes
- after Ophelia says “thorny way to heaven” thing, Ophelia and Laertes standing v close and L kisses on lips
- kiss on lips after farewell
Branagh - Ophelia and Hamlet
- flashes of sex scene between Ophelia and Hamlet as Polonius chastises her
- Ophelia = heart- broken as says “I shall obey my lord” spoken in her head with flashes of Hamlet kissing her
Branagh - reading letter
forced to read letter whilst sobbing hard
then leaves suddenly
