In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the fragile Ophelia is used, abused, and puppeted by the men she is surrounded by. In their absence she cannot function, so she becomes mad. She is a shape-shifter who takes on whichever identity is thrust upon her by any male figure. She is consumed by the whirlwind of mixed emotions and commands given to her by Hamlet, Laertes and Polonius. With her lover's banishment, her brother's residence in France, and her father's murder she is left with only silence. She retreats into madness and eventually takes her own life.
             To her father Polonius, Ophelia assumes the role of a "green girl" (I.iv.101), a vehicle through which he can gain the favor of the King. When she at last finds love, he forbids her to entertain it, fearing that it will reflect badly upon him "...Or given my heart a winking, mute and dumb;/Or look'd upon this love with idle sight-/What might you(Claudius) think?"(II.ii.136-138) and "tender (him) a fool"(I.iv.109) and because she is completely obedient, she complies to his wishes. After Hamlet accosts his daughter while she is sewing, Polonius' concern fades quickly when he determines that he can gain through her unfortunate situation "Come, go we to the King/This must be known; which, being kept close, might move/More grief to hide than hate to utter love"(II.i.117-119. He sets up an encounter between her and the already mad prince to prove his loyalty to the crown, heedless to the fact that she could be harmed. "Ophelia, walk you here.../We are oft to blame in this:/ 'Tis too much prov'd, that with devotion's visage/ And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"(III.i.43-49). Even after her verbal, and quite possible physical abuse, 17 lines pass before he even acknowledges her presence "How now, Ophelia!"(III.i.178). Her role as bait completed, her usefulness i...