Consider Shakespeare’s presentation of Hamlet’s relationships with Gertrude and Ophelia.How far does he lead us to sympathise with either character, and how far with himself.
Hamlet’s relationships with the women in his life, Gertrude and Ophelia, are considered to be, by some, quite abnormal for relationships with a mother and girlfriend. In the context of an Elizabethan revenge tragedy, these characters create the perfect formula. With incest, madness, multiple murders, poison, love, and hate to name but a few of the many story lines, which keep the audience interested.
Ophelia is portrayed throughout Hamlet as a loyal and obedient daughter. This is shown in Act 1 Scene 3 when in conversation with her brother Laertes, she is warned, “
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