Ophelia

In the painting by John Everett Millais Ophelia lies in the water, surrounded by flowers. Her position shows something not quite peaceful about her death. With her head and arms out of the water it looks as though she may not have wanted this faith. The "skull" hidden in the flowers represents what was waiting for her. Maybe in a way that someone else was waiting for it to happen to her.

The way I see Ophelia's death, is that she did not at first intentionally kill herself, but than did intentionally drown herself. She didn't intentionally fall to the water to die, but the moments as she fell into the water she must of thought to herself how possibly this would be a good way, and time, to go. I think Shakespeare wanted her to be seen as dutiful, but slightly nutty. She would obey, but was still much too in love with her ex boyfriend.

Gertrude would not be the murderer in the case of Ophelia, just the rude witness. Her description of Ophelia's death in the water was too detailed. It made it obvious how Gertrude stood by the water, and maybe even enjoyed the fact that Ophelia is now gone. This would be as apposed to what another human being would do in the fact of seeing a dead body floating in a river, run for help.

It is hard to represent a character who has such little detail. There must have been more to Ophelia than meets the eye. As she fell thoughts must of raced on how she has no love, and no father, which made her feel like life has nothing more to give her. This shows how these were big factors in her life, and thoughts. For Ophelia to keep on living it would show how she does have other things she finds important to live for.