Ophelia as a Foil for HamletIn Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, the audience finds a docile, manipulated, scolded, and victimized young woman named Ophelia. Ophelia is a foil for Hamlet. The plays have films to help the audience better understand the most important characters in the play. The character of Ophelia is necessary for the audience to give Hamlet a chance to overcome his madness and follow his heart. Similarities are an important part of being a foil. One similarity that Hamlet and Ophelia share is that they are both children of controlling parents. [SV - 1] Hamlet's murdered father returns in the form of a ghost to reveal to him who his murderer is. This news is his father's way of controlling him from the grave. Hamlet's mother and stepfather also control him by persuading Hamlet not to go to Wittenburg. Ophélie is also controlled by her father. She tells him how Hamlet tried several times to express his affection for her. Ophelia's father does not believe that Hamlet is sincere and orders her to stay away from him. Ophélie obeys her father's wishes. Women were expected to do what they were told and believed that what they were told was true. Another similarity between Hamlet and Ophelia is the feelings they have for each other. At the beginning of the play, it is suggested that Hamlet loves Ophelia. This scares Ophelia, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings for him too. It is her father who encourages her to repress any feelings she might then experience. Later in the play, Ophelia confesses her love for Hamlet, who then hides his feelings and denies having loved her. He suggests she go to a convent. This makes Ophelia feel worthless and not wanted... middle of paper ... when Ophelia commits suicide, Hamlet does just that. [SS-1] He again admits his love for her and apologizes to his brother Laertes for the death of their father. At the end of the play, Hamlet's madness also ends and he joins Ophelia again. Works cited and consulted: Pennington, Michael. “Ophelia: madness, her only refuge.” Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from "Hamlet": A User's Guide. New York: Limelight Editions, 1996. Pitt, Angela. “Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” Readings on Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint of Shakespeare's Women. Np: np, 1981.Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Hamlet, prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line number.