Volu m e II - Purdue University Calumet

ack until Claudius tells her to let him go. Soon after, Ophelia returns, still carrying the box. She hands
pieces of paper to everyone without saying a word. Then she sits down with the box in front of her and
sings. When Ophelia asks Laertes to sing with her, he does so. The two sit close to each other, showing
that they have a secure family bond. Ophelia begins pulling things out of the box (such as gloves and string)
and calling them flowers. Before handing each person on stage a “flower”, she states its meaning. These
symbols, which are really her mementos, are not needed anymore since she plans to commit suicide. Also,
she does not care who sees or receives them because she has lost all sense of reality. After everyone on
stage has been given a “flower”, she continues singing and tending to the doll. At this point, Ophelia
reenacts the burial of Polonius by putting the figure in the box and piling dirt on top of it. The importance
of the doll to Ophelia is another sign of her childishness and her close relationship with her father.
Following these mad actions, she runs off stage, leaving Laertes to weep for his sister (Noble).
Throughout Noble’s production of Hamlet, Ophelia is seen as an immature young lady with little
life experience. She obeys her father and brother without question, feeling that they have her best interest
in mind. When it comes to Hamlet, Ophelia acts as though all is well regardless of whether or not he is in
the picture. Her relationship with Polonius reigns far above all others. This is a stark contrast to the ideas
that other directors have had about how Ophelia should be portrayed.
Works Cited
Hamlet. Dir. Zeffirelli, Franco. Prod. Davey Bruce, and Dyson Lovell. Perf. Gibson, Mel, Glenn Close,
Helena Bonham Carter, et al. Icon Productions, 1990.
Noble, Adrian. Director, Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Perf: Ben Carlson, Geraint Wyn Davi, Maria
Ricossa, Scott Wentworth, Bruce Godfree, Adrienne Gould, Tom Rooney. Stratford Festival Theater.
Stratford, Canada. October 16, 2008.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. John Crowther. New York: Spark Publishing, 2003.
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