1999. The eighteenth-century British novelist Laurence Sterne wrote, "No body, but he who has felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a man's mind torn asunder by two projects of equal strength, both obstinately pulling in a contrary direction at the same time."

From a novel or play choose a character (not necessarily the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict with one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. You may use one of the novels or plays listed below or another novel or work of similar literary quality.

Quotes:

Then if he says he loves you,

It fits your wisdom so far to believe it. Or lose your heart,

or your chaste treasure open

To his unmastered importunity.

Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister.

And keep within the rear of your affection,

 Out of the shot and danger of desire. (1.3.24-25, 31-35)

Affection, pooh! You speak like a green girl

Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. (1.3.101-102)

“I do not know, my lord, what I should think” (1.3.104)

“Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder / of sinners?” (3.1.122-23)

“God / hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another” (3.1.141-42).

3x3:

Ophelia obeys Polonius

Ophelia deceives Hamlet

Ophelia goes mad

Thesis:

In Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, madness is used to emphasize the unnatural events occurring in Denmark. In Ophelia’s case, she torn between obedience to her father and love towards Hamlet, but ultimately escapes into madness to express her true self away from patriarchal influences. Ophelia’s transformation from a timid girl who obeys her father, to a seducer spying on her lover, and finally to a bawdy mad woman displays the inner conflicts as she attempts to discover her true self.

Important points to make:

• Ophelia in madness reveals particularly the struggle of the female character that endeavors to have a voice of her own.
• [e]veryone has used her: Polonius, to gain favor; Laertes, to belittle Hamlet; Claudius, to spy on Hamlet; Hamlet, to express rage at Gertrude and Hamlet again, to express his feigned madness with her as decoy
• Like Hamlet, Ophelia also adopts madness to be a means to confront death and betrayal.
• Hidden behind the appearances of an obedient daughter, Ophelia goes through a transformation from the passive and frail woman to the woman who finally relocates her true identity—the self that can’t be comprehended by the patriarchal logic system
• Before Hamlet’s visit to her chamber, Ophelia appears to be a naive girl who lacks judgment and a strong will. Laertes implies that Ophelia might lack control over her desire
• Death is the ultimate solution for her struggle because she is unable to be either sane yet repressed or mad but not understood by any
• Rather than sharing her female 17 mourning, Gertrude plays the role as a part of the patriarchal repression that manipulates Ophelia