LitStaff Pick: Characters Who Didn't Get What They Deserved

Ophelia
Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Ophelia … poor Ophelia. Daughter to a meddling micromanager, sister to an ambitious brother with eyes only for his own future in France, darling Ophelia is led astray by her love for an angry prince hellbent on revenge. Many argue that Hamlet was crazy, after losing his father at the hands of his conniving, murderous uncle, but I don’t agree. I think Hamlet was just really pissed off, as one might be after losing a parent and then learning the scandalous truth about said parent’s untimely end. But that does not excuse Hamlet’s abysmal treatment of Ophelia. She truly did love him, and the way he toyed with her, stringing her along when she was hopelessly head over heels, killing her nosy father, well, it led to a pathetic display of her vocal abilities — some song about flowers — and finally, her drowning. In my version of Hamlet, Ophelia would smarten up, wash her hands of that boy, and wait for the rugged stud Prince Fortinbras of Norway to ask her for coffee. I mean, if he’s not going to overthrow Denmark, he might as well treat the poor girl to dinner, right? She’s had a rough go of it.

-Jennifer Sommersby Young