Question

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, what plot event causes Ophelia’s mental decline?

Option 1: King Hamlet’s ghostly visit
Option 2: Hamlet’s theatrical production
Option 3: Polonius’s violent death
Option 4: Claudius’s scheming

Answer 1

Ophelia's mental decline in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' is caused by the death of her father, Polonius. Her character represents historical views on female madness and limited gender roles, with her death becoming a central theme in art and literature.

Step-by-step explanation:

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia's mental decline is primarily triggered by Polonius's violent death (Option 3). This event deeply affects Ophelia, leading to her eventual madness and tragic end. Historically, Ophelia's character has been a subject of interest due to the interplay of gender roles, madness, and the limited agency afforded to women of her time.

She is often portrayed in contrast to Hamlet's intellectual melancholy, embodying a more emotional and erotomanic type of insanity, as influenced by societal views on female madness during Elizabethan times. Furthermore, her death by drowning is symbolically feminine and has been the focus of many artistic renditions, particularly during the Romantic era.