Hamlet Blog Post #4

I agree. In response to Peter J. Seng's analysis of dear Ophelia's songs of madness, I \agree that there were hidden meanings. Her words bared her confused young soul to the world, her last clear thought and realizations, her perceptions and reactions to those people around her, changing, and dying. Laertes realizes upon seeing her that when face with, "though and affliction, passion, hell itself, she turns to favor and to prettiness" (4.5. 178-179). Ophelia was face with Laertes being gone while her love went mad and her father was killed. It makes sense that, through her poor, broken mind, all that would remain to be sung through songs would be these last, horrific events. And so she was in mourning through her madness. But, as Seng said, "that the ballad relates to the death of Polonius - is not wrong; it simply does not go far enough" (Seng 217).
Ophelia's songs do contain hidden meaning. She talks not only of her own tragedy, but of others' as well. Learning that her ramblings meant much more than they seemed is something of a relief. She had not completely lost herself and was cognizant enough to remark on her father's death. She tells Laertes that she, "would give [him] violets, but they withered all when [her] father died" (4.5.175-176). Not only does she realize that her father is gone, she recalls earlier conversations which Seng calls attention to. Violets are also known as emblems of faithfulness which could be symbolic of Ophelia's loss of faith in Hamlet after he kills Polonius. Seng also found an interesting double meaning to Ophelia's lament that Polonius, "to the grave did not go with true love showers" (4.5.39-40). Seng present the idea that she is not only talking about her father's improper burial, but also the Queen's improper mourning of the late king. You can tell that Queen Gertrude and King Claudius notice none of this as they don't know what to do with her.
Nor does her brother, Laertes as he, "wholly fails to comprehend his own measure of responsibility for the events that have befallen" (Seng 223). In the minds of both Laertes and Polonius, they were aiding poor, innocent Ophelia with their advice. Little did they know they were actually hurting her. She may not have even realized at first. It is sad to think that, "the distorted version of the world that Polonius and Laertes impress on Ophelia . . . is clearly the beginning of her tragedy" (Seng 222). It is certainly frustrating to be told from the start that, "you do not understand yourself" (1.3.96) when it comes to love. Seng was exactly right when he said it was their advice that drove her off the edge. Adding to that, I believe their lack of trust i her and her judgement was also detrimental to her state. Thus, she begins to doubt those around her. Those doubts are pushed further when Hamlet tells her that, "we are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us" (3.1.123) That she loses both the trust and support of her loved ones as well as losing their actual presence is too much to bear all at once. It is all she can do after her fragile mind is shattered to try and piece things together through song.