OpheliaThe most revealing stories are often those that go untold. Ophelia is a drama directed by Claire McCarthy, adapted from a novel by Lisa Klein, which was in turn developed from "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, and is about the eponymous Prince of Denmark's beloved. Ophelia presents an alternate backstory about those heady days in Elsinore, telling a story about its tragic heroine--played by Daisy Ridley--while putting a new spin on an old tale. Audiences familiar with "Hamlet" will find that Ophelia embraces a position of female empowerment while adding dimension to this relatively unexplored supporting character turned protagonist.
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It's difficult to describe the story of Ophelia without essentially reiterating the plot of "Hamlet". Nevertheless, the film--and its ancestral source material--is set in the city of Elsinore, where King Hamlet (Nathaniel Parker) and Queen Gertrude (Naomi Watts) enjoy the fruits of their royal sovereignty. They play games and entertain the cynical jesting (and none too subtle flirtations) of the king's brother, Claudius (Clive Owen) toward the melancholy queen. Ophelia's father, Polonius (Dominic Mafham) is an advisor to the king, though he denies his children access to the royal festivities. But this Ophelia is one who balks at being told what to do, and even outright flaunts the directives of her father or of noble decorum, sneaking into one of their parties as a girl, and offering an answer to a riddle that reveals her to be both strong of spirit and of mind. This makes her appealing to Gertrude, who feels a kinship to the lass, and she subsequently takes her in as a lady-in-waiting. Ophelia is treated as inferior by her colleagues, yet she perseveres in her role and gains the trust of her queen. Meanwhile, she catches the eye of Gertrude's son, Prince Hamlet (George MacKay), who has recently returned from college with his friend, Horatio (Devon Terrell). Hamlet is smitten by the attractive and learned redhead, and he begins a courtship that leads to many fond remembrances. For those familiar with the classic Shakespeare play, the rest is relatively familiar; otherwise, suffice to say, Ophelia finds herself caught between a cold war between her beloved Hamlet and Claudius, who assumes the throne after the death of King Hamlet, ostensibly killed by a venomous snake in his garden.
"Hamlet" has enjoyed myriad interpretations in the annals of English literature and beyond, and Ophelia represents yet another facet in the gemstone that is the tale of the tragic prince of Elsinore. It comes bearing backstory and fills in details that invite audiences to view the story from a fresh perspective. In this tale, Gertrude confides in Ophelia that she requires a tonic from a local witch in the woods named Mechtild (also Watts), who is subsequently revealed to be Gertrude's sister. Mechtild was disgraced and ostracized after miscarrying, and narrowly avoided being burned as a witch, with the implication being that she was misunderstood by men in power for being learned in the ways of herbs and poisons. Ophelia learns that the poisons which Mechtild cultivates mirror the effects of the toxin that slew King Hamlet, and connects the dots that it was Claudius who committed regicide in the garden, with Mechtild's reluctant assistance. Mechtild, it turns out, had a relationship with Claudius, who had betrayed her and declared her a witch long before ingratiating himself in the courts. While Claudius has always been portrayed as a villain in the various adaptations of "Hamlet", in Ophelia he is an arrogant and conniving rogue, whose dark and wanton personality entices women like Gertrude and Mechtild, making them slaves in his hands. Ophelia, of course, sees through his schemes, and becomes the one to whisper the knowledge of Claudius's betrayal to her beloved when they confront one another at the time of his most famous soliloquy. Ophelia is always aware of the foolishness of the men of Elsinore, and tries to deter Hamlet from pursuing vengeance against Claudius, despite the bloodshed that preceded their fateful showdown. Ophelia truly understands what it is to lose a loved one, especially when her prince accidentally slays her father, which subsequently stokes the flames of rage in her brother, Laertes (Tom Felton), to kill Hamlet. But this Ophelia rises above the fury, and urges her Hamlet to forsake his vengeance, so that he can honor his vows of love to her, free from the destructive influence of Elsinore. (Of course, we all know how that ends.) Ophelia enjoys pulling a couple of twists on its audience, pointedly portraying Ophelia as stronger than those who ignore her or disregard her because she is neither highborn nor a man. In this reflection of this classic tale of unchecked rage and betrayal, Ophelia remains standing, alive and free from the mad patriarchy when the dust clears.
Recommended for: Fans of, well, "Hamlet", especially, but also for those drawn to stories of strong young women standing up for what is right despite the world around them telling them otherwise. Ophelia portrays the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's play as a "Mary Sue"; despite that, for those drawn to the lavish vistas and costuming, there is more to glean from the film than just a heavy-handed feminist interpretation of "Hamlet".
"Hamlet" has enjoyed myriad interpretations in the annals of English literature and beyond, and Ophelia represents yet another facet in the gemstone that is the tale of the tragic prince of Elsinore. It comes bearing backstory and fills in details that invite audiences to view the story from a fresh perspective. In this tale, Gertrude confides in Ophelia that she requires a tonic from a local witch in the woods named Mechtild (also Watts), who is subsequently revealed to be Gertrude's sister. Mechtild was disgraced and ostracized after miscarrying, and narrowly avoided being burned as a witch, with the implication being that she was misunderstood by men in power for being learned in the ways of herbs and poisons. Ophelia learns that the poisons which Mechtild cultivates mirror the effects of the toxin that slew King Hamlet, and connects the dots that it was Claudius who committed regicide in the garden, with Mechtild's reluctant assistance. Mechtild, it turns out, had a relationship with Claudius, who had betrayed her and declared her a witch long before ingratiating himself in the courts. While Claudius has always been portrayed as a villain in the various adaptations of "Hamlet", in Ophelia he is an arrogant and conniving rogue, whose dark and wanton personality entices women like Gertrude and Mechtild, making them slaves in his hands. Ophelia, of course, sees through his schemes, and becomes the one to whisper the knowledge of Claudius's betrayal to her beloved when they confront one another at the time of his most famous soliloquy. Ophelia is always aware of the foolishness of the men of Elsinore, and tries to deter Hamlet from pursuing vengeance against Claudius, despite the bloodshed that preceded their fateful showdown. Ophelia truly understands what it is to lose a loved one, especially when her prince accidentally slays her father, which subsequently stokes the flames of rage in her brother, Laertes (Tom Felton), to kill Hamlet. But this Ophelia rises above the fury, and urges her Hamlet to forsake his vengeance, so that he can honor his vows of love to her, free from the destructive influence of Elsinore. (Of course, we all know how that ends.) Ophelia enjoys pulling a couple of twists on its audience, pointedly portraying Ophelia as stronger than those who ignore her or disregard her because she is neither highborn nor a man. In this reflection of this classic tale of unchecked rage and betrayal, Ophelia remains standing, alive and free from the mad patriarchy when the dust clears.
Recommended for: Fans of, well, "Hamlet", especially, but also for those drawn to stories of strong young women standing up for what is right despite the world around them telling them otherwise. Ophelia portrays the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's play as a "Mary Sue"; despite that, for those drawn to the lavish vistas and costuming, there is more to glean from the film than just a heavy-handed feminist interpretation of "Hamlet".