Hamlet Act 4 scene 5

Ophelia has been used and betrayed in some way by every male in her life. She really has no options left so she is mentally unstable. Ophelia is under her father's control as well as her brother's orders. Hamlet has forsaken her calling her terrible names simply for being a woman. It is no surprise that she walks around throwing dead flowers around and singing bits of song.

Ophelia is a character who is completely governed by three men in the play. These are Polonius, Laertes and Hamlet. When Polonius dies a good part of her mind dies with him. Hamlet departs and she becomes visibly separated from herself and her fair judgment. In the final scene of Act 4, Claudius is turning Laertes to the dark side. As this is occuring Ophelia is in the throes of her final minutes. Ophelia represents the flower of Denmark, the health of which is dependent on the sound stewardship of the "garden" of the state of Denmark. All the main male characters in the play fail Ophelia and they fail Denmark. As Laertes says of Ophelia's death at the end of scene 7; "Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia, and therefore I forbid my tears."