What happened to Ophelia in Hamlet Act 4 Scene 5?
Claudius asks Horatio to follow Ophelia and keep an eye on her. After Horatio leaves, Claudius tells Gertrude that Ophelia has fallen victim to the “poison of deep grief” in the wake of her father’s death and Hamlet’s departure for England. Grief is seen as a “poison” in Denmark.
What evidence is presented of Ophelia’s madness in Act IV Scene V?
Adorned with flowers and singing strange songs, she seems to have gone mad. Claudius enters and hears Ophelia’s ravings, such as, “They say the owl was a baker’s daughter” (IV. v. 42).
Why did Ophelia go mad?
Why does Ophelia go mad? Ophelia goes mad because her father, Polonius, whom she deeply loved, has been killed by Hamlet. In addition, Hamlet, whom she also loved, has cruelly rejected her.
What happened to Ophelia in Act IV?
Ophelia’s clothing carried her afloat for a time, but eventually she sank to her death. Laertes finds his grief uncontrollable, and he runs out in a rage. Claudius and Gertrude follow him, ostensibly to quell his anger.
How is Ophelia’s madness portrayed?
Ophelia’s madness is portrayed through her detachment from immediate reality—those surrounding her in the court—and the dreamlike singing she does. Ophelia’s first song is a reference to her dead father Polonius.
What do Ophelia’s mad songs represent?
While Ophelia sang this song to convey her distress, there are many hidden meanings in the lyrics. Ophelia’s song is not an expression of one event or one feeling – it is the verbalization of grief over Polonius and Hamlet and a scrutiny of Gertrude’s portrayal of love.
What are the causes of Ophelia’s madness?
Ophelia’s madness stems from her lack of identity and her feelings of helplessness regarding her own life. While the death of Hamlet’s father made him angry enough to want revenge, Ophelia internalized the death of her father as a loss of personal identity.
Why did Ophelia go mad in Hamlet?
How does Ophelia’s madness compared to Hamlet?
Hamlet and Ophelia both display symptoms of madness, but each become mad for different reasons. Hamlet’s madness is fueled by his father’s death and his desire to seek revenge on the man who killed him. Ophelia’s madness stems from her lack of identity and her feelings of helplessness regarding her own life.