Custom Essays: Ophelia as a Sexual Being -- GCSE English Literature Cou

Ophelia as a Sexual Being in crossroads In Elaine Showalters essay, feminist criticism allows Ophelia to upstage Hamlet and . . . brings to the foreground . . . the cultural links between femininity, and female sexuality (221). In most of his plays, William Shakespeare has many women in secondary roles, only filling dead space or causing strife between men. During Shakespeares time, thoughts of women bordered on weak and deceitful images, leading to the thinker of frail, yet conniving creatures. In Hamlet, the character Ophelia uses her sexual prowess as a source of power when dealing with the opposite sex. As she weaves her way done the background of the play, she affects the men greatly to become a main focus when critiquing the literary work. Interpretations of Ophelia vary based on the experts view of sexual importance. The influence she has everyplace Hamlets emotions and desires affects the outcome of their faltering relationship and Hamlets sanity. Viewing Ophelia as a se xual being, one can surmise that she embodies the very essence of female sexuality. Kenneth Branaghs 1996 film stochastic variable of Hamlet portrays Ophelia as a siren natural, beautiful, and the perfect object of male desire. In Elaine Showalters essay and Kenneth Branaghs film, the representation of Ophelia gives strong evidence regarding the sexuality Ophelia emanates and her effect on the men surrounding her despite her five short scenes in the play. Ophelias overzealous sexuality, uncommon in those moral days, constitutes an image of madness and impropriety ending in her tragic death by her own hand. With the strong sexuality Ophelia radiates, even her brother Laertes cannot resist her charms. Speaking with Ophelia, Laertes warns h... ...h her fire and passion. William Shakespeare produces this female character, which becomes the most important heroine in all of his literary works. As a symbol for women everywhere, Ophelia depicts the importance of using the power one has to make a difference in ones own life. kit and boodle Cited Hamlet. Dir. Kenneth Barnagh. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Kate Winslet, Brian Blessed, Richard Briars, Julie Christie, Billy Crystal, Derek Jacobi, Michael Maloney. Castle Rock, 1996. Showalter, Elaine. Representing Ophelia Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism. Hamlet. Ed. Susanne L. Wofford. Boston Bedford Books of St. Martins Press, 1994. 220-238. Wofford, Susanne L., ed. Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism, William Shakespeare The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Boston Bedford Books of St. Martins Press, 1994.