Ophelia (/ oʊˈfiːliə / oh-FEE-lee-ə) is a character in William Shakespeare 's drama Hamlet (1599–1601). She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet. Due to Hamlet's actions, Ophelia ultimately becomes mad and drowns.
Although Ophelia (in Hamlet) is one of the least fully-realised female characters in Shakespeare she is probably the most interesting and relevant regarding current gender relations....
Explore our in-depth Ophelia character analysis from Hamlet. Discover her key traits, tragic descent into madness, and thematic impact on Shakespeare's play.
Ophelia: Directed by Claire McCarthy. With Daisy Ridley, Mia Quiney, Calum O'Rourke, Nathaniel Parker. A reimagining of Hamlet, told from Ophelia's perspective.
Ophelia’s role in the play revolves around her relationships with three men. She is the daughter of Polonius, the sister of Laertes, and up until the beginning of the play’s events, she has also been romantically involved with Hamlet.
Ophelia, daughter of Polonius, sister to Laertes, and rejected lover of Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. Ophelia’s mad scene (Act IV, scene 5) is one of the best known in Western literature, and her tragic figure, that of innocence gone mad, has often been portrayed in
Ophelia is having a particularly eventful 2025. In addition to Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia”—and an album cover referencing our drowned heroine— Netflix’s Wednesday features references to a missing Aunt Ophelia, a woman whose psychic ability led to madness.
The Hamlet and Ophelia Subplot There are three plots in Shakespeare's Hamlet: the main revenge plot and two subplots involving the romance between Hamlet and Ophelia, and the looming war with Norway. The following is a guide to the significant events in the Hamlet and Ophelia subplot. Characters Involved in the Hamlet and Ophelia Subplot Hamlet ...