In William Shakespeare's famous play Hamlet, Ophelia is a beautiful and simple-minded maiden, easily molded by the more powerful opinions and desires of others. She seems to always do as she is told, even if it is strongly against what her heart tells her. Initially her father and brother influence her the most. Later the love letters from Hamlet cause her mind to become confused, and she must choose to either follow her heart or obey her father. Ophelia is not able to understand herself because of all the pressures exerted on her to be someone else. That weakness of mind and will, which permitted her obedience to her father and thus destroyed her hope for Hamlet's love, finally resulted in her insanity and death.

Ophelia's father Polonius tries to talk her away from Hamlet because he considers him untrustworthy and lustful. He feels that because Prince Hamlet...