Ophelia’s Flowers

Before Ophelia’s death in Act IV, she passes out flowers to several members of the royal court. Although Ophelia appears to be completely insane during this part of the play, each of the flowers she passes out has a deeper meaning behind it. In this particular website, Katarina Eriksson shares her interpretations of Ophelia’s flowers and demonstrates why Ophelia chose to present certain flowers to certain characters.

Ophelia’s Flowers

Hamlet: A Tragic Hero

Although Hamlet ultimately succeeds in avenging his father’s death, the path he chose and the decisions he made classify him as a tragic hero. According to the website, a tragic hero is a hero who is of great importance, has good and bad qualities, has good potential, has a tragic flaw, and suffers a reversal of fortunes. The website stresses the importance of Hamlet’s good intentions to avenge his father’s death. However, it is also mentioned that Hamlet constantly hesitates whenever it comes time for him to actually implement his actions. The points discussed in this website are helpful because they demonstrate the ways in which Hamlet is different from the typical hero.
Hamlet: A Tragic Hero

No Fear Shakespeare!

“No Fear Shakespeare” is a useful tool that translates each line of Shakespeare’s Hamlet into modern day English. The side-by-side organization of the website makes understanding the plot of the play much easier. The site is organized so that the original lines from the play appear along the left side of the page, and the translated lines appear along the right side. The website is also organized by act and scene number, which makes navigating the website for a particular section of the play less time consuming. Overall, “No Fear Shakespeare” is very helpful in providing a better understanding of Shakespeare’s diction and the translation behind it.
No Fear Shakespeare!

Alas, Poor Yorick!

Joshua Harrison, the author of this website, discusses how Hamlet’s thoughts about death change from distant and abstract to physical and direct when Hamlet holds Yorick’s skull in his hands. Harrison also demonstrates the contrasting characteristics between Yorick’s animated life and the lifeless skull and how they relate to the theme of vanitas, an artistic motif from the Renaissance time period. Overall, the website describes how Hamlet comes to understand that death is inevitable.

Alas, Poor Yorick!

Better Late Than Never

This website consists of an essay that analyzes Gertrude and her inability to recognize that Claudius has intentions to harm Hamlet. Although Gertrude never had intentions to harm Hamlet herself, she was not able to recognize Claudius’s intentions early on because she had a difficult time seeing past her romantic outlook on life. Eventually, Gertrude comes to realize that Claudius has been trying to harm Hamlet all along. Unfortunately, she does not realize this until she is dying from the poisoned beverage that Claudius intended to kill Hamlet with. The author of this essay provides insight to Gertrude’s motives and characteristics and illustrates that Gertrude’s main intention throughout the play is to protect Hamlet.

Better Late Than Never

Sassy Gay Friend…

As we all know, Ophelia drowns in a river at the end of Act IV. Sassy Gay Friend is a video that pokes fun at Ophelia’s suicide and her motivation behind it.

Sassy Gay Friend