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Was Hamlet Responsible For Ophelia's Death

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In Act I scene v, Hamlet, the titular hero of the of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, bemoans the vile corruption that has manifested “in this distracted globe” (Shakespeare, trans. 1986, 1.5.101-102) after discovering the heinous murder of his father. This is only the first of numerous catastrophes to transpire in Denmark. The most spiteful of these misfortunes is the death innocent Ophelia, lover of Hamlet and daughter of Polonius. Although her drowning may initially appear to be an accident, Ophelia has lost the desire the live after enduring several tribulations, most notably the sudden murder of her father. Hamlet carries partial culpability for her death, as he was the one who physically stabs the Lord Chamberlain. Polonius, despite being Ophelia’s father, bears partial accountability for her death due to his own mendacious actions. Gertrude also plays a role, doing the minimum to comfort grieving Ophelia. Their actions however, can be traced back to King Claudius, whose murder of Old Hamlet incites a chain reaction of falsehood and mistreatment within Denmark that ultimately lead to Ophelia’s drowning.

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