Shakespeare A to Z | Ophilia
Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius, the sister of Laertes, and the beloved of Hamlet in the play that bears his name. She is also one of the most sympathetic and tragic of all Shakespearean characters. Reacting to what others demand of her, Ophelia is generally ignored, used, and then left to fend for herself, something she is incapable of doing.
In Act I, Scene iii, Laertes warns his sister that Hamlet’s feelings for her are temporary and that she should protect her honor and be wary of the prince’s declarations of love. Polonius enters and demands that she reveal the details of...
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