Ophelia: The Forgotten Character

Part I of Essay
Ophelia is Polonius' daughter. According to M.M. Reese (108), her name is generally thought to be derived from the Greek word apheleia, meaning "innocence." This is certainly a good description of her outlook on life, every bit as ingenuous as her brother's. It may not, h ....

Part II of Essay
.... but from confusion over his sudden change of mood and attitude toward her since the Nunnery Scene. She of course has no idea of the state he is in, and it is possible that she thinks his condition has indeed been caused by her following her father's instructions and refusing to see him. In the conflict between her love for Hamlet and her duty of obedience to her father's orders, she grants to Polonius' wishes. Hamlet, however, is less obedient to the orders of the ghost, his father. In essence, "pretty Ophelia," as Claudius calls her, i ....