The Betrayal in Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Betrayal in Hamlet - Essay ExampleHamlets insanity is philosophical, the end of brooding upon his fathers death and learning the truth about it. Ophelias insanity is often portrayed as the emergence of being a woman, a person for whom emotion trumps reason, who placenot be held accountable for her actions as a matter of her gender. Although this is true as Showalter explains it, modern readers can still create a new picture of Ophelia, as an intelligent woman who defies societys expectations by thinking for herself, even as others manipulate her for their own gain.Ophelias first air in the play is at her brother Laertess side the time and place of her life requires that, if Ophelia is to be a good girl, she will always be governed by trusted men. Her brother engages in the family pastime of self-aggrandising unwanted advice in long, lofty monologues. He says straight off, For Hamlet and the trifling of his favor, Hold it a musical mode and a toy in bloodnot permanent, swee t, not lasting (I. iii. 5-8). Laertes anticipates Hamlets betrayal of his sister, and Ophelia seems to understand what he is saying. But we can assign a degree of independence to Ophelia in his conversation she accepts his warning lightly and then turns it around, suggesting that Laertes is large-minded good advice, which he himself needs to follow. When her father, Polonius, quizzes her on the same subject, she is slightly more forthcoming, but she also argues in Hamlets favor, calling his wooing of her honorable (I. iii. 110) and holy (I. iii. 114). At the end of the scene, Polonius tells her to avoid Hamlet, and she promises to do so. Modern readers ar left to wonder the mens motivations. Do they care for Ophelia, or is she a commodity whose worth could be compromised They do not trust her to make the right decision on her own, but force her into good situations for their own reasons.When side by side(p) we see Ophelia, she is reporting to her father on Hamlets frightening beh avior. Although she has tried to avoid him, he bursts in on her private quarters and acts crazy, grabbing her arm staring at her in a shivery way. Ophelia is still behaving essentially according to expectation, coming to her father for help. She tells him she has acted as you did command (II. i. 108), and even Polonius believes it may be his advice that has provokes such a response. Not long after that, everyone starts to worry about Hamlets bizarre behavior. The king, with Polonius, decides to set up a situation in which the two men can observe the young people unneurotic and determine whether Ophelia is the reason for Hamlets madness, and in this scene, Shakespeare plants the beginnings of Ophelias madness in Hamlets lies and contradictions. Here her mind turns to melancholy. She sees herself of all ladies most set about and wretched (III. i. 158), but not before she laments the poison that infects Hamlet. Meanwhile, her father and the king disagree on the force of their pawn sacrifice, not considering the extent to which they have really sacrificed her. Without this external manipulation, Ophelia might have been safer.Again, in Ophelias next scene, she is forced to contend with Hamlets changing madness, as he flirts outrageously with her in front of both of their families and in reality