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Summary Representing Ophelia Critical Essay Notes
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Summary Notes on the critical essay looking at the character of Ophelia in William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet.
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Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness and the Responsibilities ofFeminist Criticism by Elaine Showalter
Notes:
- Lacan argues that Ophelia is an essential character in Hamlet as she is the object of
Hamlet’s male desire and is therefore “linked forever, for centuries to the figure of
Hamlet”.
- Feminist critic, Lee Ecwards argues that “we can imagine Hamlet’s story without
Ophelia, but Ophelia literally has no story without Hamlet.”
- She discusses her significance in reference to how she reveals Hamlet's
characteristics.
- Showalter touches upon the idea that Ophelia's character is one that is symbolic of
the psychiatric theories of Freud.
- Showalter also attributes the characterization of Ophelia to not only the audience, but
also to the actress that plays the part.
- Never does she suggest that Ophelia could be just that, "Ophelia." Her entire article
is devoted to individual interpretation of the play in its entirety, focusing primarily on
Ophelia.
- Showalter presents her own ideas by bringing together the ideas of many others
such as Jacques Lacan, Susan Mountfort, Ellen Terry, and more.
- Showalter recognizes and explains many interpretations of her madness. Ophelia's
madness is, by some, attributed to "a predictable outcome of erotomania". This term
"erotomania" was what the Elizabethans referred to as "female love-melancholy."
- Yet another interpretation is that of the "Romantic Ophelia," in which she is referred
to as "a young girl passionately and visibly driven to picturesque madness". Later, it
is explained what is meant by this definition when Showalter writes about how people
viewed Ophelia as a woman who "felt" too much and somehow allowed these
feelings to overcome her. This type of action would drive a person to madness, just
as Ophelia is driven into her madness.
- This conclusion would seem to suggest that her madness stemmed from some sort
of erotic passion between herself and Hamlet. This is the type of interpretation that is
given to the audience in many movie versions of erotomania.
- Elaine Showalter creates an argument that is predominantly based on the idea that
Ophelia's madness is one that comes from her "female love-melancholy."
- Ophelia is deprived of thought, sexuality and language.
- Portrayed as an insignificant and minor character.
- We can imagine Hamlet’s story without Ophelia…Ophelia literally has no story
without Hamlet.
- The story of O—the zero, the empty circle.
- Showalter cites many actresses, critics, doctors, and such that completely support
this idea, and have actually expressed this idea to others in many ways. If it is not
true that Hamlet and Ophelia had sexual encounters, then this interpretation of the
character and its effect on the entire play can be understood on a completely different
level.
- In comparison to Hamlet, Ophelia is certainly a creature of lack. “I think nothing, my
lord,” she tells him in the Mousetrap scene, and he cruelly twists her words.
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