Ophelia - Character Analysis

            We are introduced to the character of Ophelia in Act1, scene 3. She is a beautiful young girl who is daughter to Polonius, sister to Laertes and Hamlet's lover. .
             She is a feeble minded girl who is easily moulded by the more powerful opinions and desires of others. She is influenced the most by the thoughts of her father and brother. This can be seen through out the play, especially in Act 1 scene3 . In this scene we find laertes warning Ophelia of Hamlet's love. He instructs her to regard his love as something which is unlikely to last and potentially dangerous. Ophelia promises to bear his advice in mind but remarks "do not, as some ungracious pastors do, show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, whiles like a puffed and reckless libertine himself the primrose path of dalliance threads and recks not his own rede". This comment displays some wit as she turns her brother's lecture on its head. Her father also offers advice on the same subject and when he challenges the honour of Hamlet's intentions, she meekly responds: "I do not know my lord, what I should think". She attempts to defend Hamlet's love by saying"My lord, he hath importuned me with love in honourable fashion" but it fails to have any affect. At the end of the scene she promises to obey her father's orders not to permit Hamlet to see her again and to reject his love poems and gifts. This presents her as an obedient and docile daughter and sister.
             Ophelia is a symbol of all goodness in the play and is the most innocent victim of all. Her characters role is to highlight how corruption affects those around it. Being surrounded by evil, calculating characters such as Claudius and her father Polonius tarnished her purity. The poison of corruption reached Ophelia and resulted in the destruction of her character. Ophelia is associated with all things good and beautiful in the world - the most common thing being flowers. The language associated with Ophelia is also full of goodness.