Ophelia as a Complement to Hamlet In Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, the audience finds a docile, manipulated, berated, and victimized young woman named Ophelia. Ophelia is an obstacle for Hamlet. The plays have sheets 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 as a ghost to tell 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 convincing Hamlet not to go to Wittenburg. Ophelia is also controlled by her father. She tells him how Hamlet has tried many 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. Ophelia obeys her father's wishes. Women were expected to do what they were told and to believe 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 we are led to believe 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 suppress whatever feelings she may have in that moment. Later in the play Ophelia confesses her love for Hamlet, and then he hides his feelings and denies that he loves her. He suggests she go to a convent. This makes Ophelia feel worthless and unwanted....... middle of paper... when Ophelia takes her own life, Hamlet does just that. [SS-1] He again admits his love for her and apologizes to his brother Laertes for their father's death. At the end of the play Hamlet's madness also ends, and he reunites with Ophelia. Works cited and consulted: Pennington, Michael. "Ophelia: madness is her only safe refuge." Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardò. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of "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 nn.