Ophelia

Question 1

Who is Ophelia?

Answer 1

• Daughter of Polonius, sister to Laertes, and Hamlet’s love interest.
• Obedient and innocent, used by others.
• Driven mad by her father’s death and Hamlet’s rejection.

Question 2

Key quotes for Ophelia

Answer 2

“I do not know, my lord, what I should think” – Shows her lack of agency and dependence on male authority.

“We know what we are but know not what we may be” – Suggests a loss of identity and foreshadows her tragic fate.

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance” – Her madness reveals grief, using symbolic language to express betrayal and mourning.

Question 3

Main themes for Ophelia

Answer 3

Madness – Her mental collapse is genuine and deeply tragic.

Women – Controlled by her father and brother; silenced and dismissed.

Family – Loyalty to her father leads to her isolation.

Death – Drowns in unclear circumstances, possibly suicide.

Question 4

Context for Ophelia

Answer 4

Ophelia is often read as a victim of patriarchy, voiceless in a male-dominated world. Her madness contrasts Hamlet’s calculated performance. Her death is symbolic of female vulnerability and loss of identity.