Why is Ophelia allowed to be buried?

His verdict was, as is evident from the text, that Ophelia, like any other Catholic in good standing with the Church, was entitled to Christian burial, either because her death was accidental, or, if wilful and deliberate, was due to her insanity: and one bereft of reason is according to the teaching of the Church, ...

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Why was Ophelia not given a proper funeral and burial?

death. Why is one of the gravediggers irritated that Ophelia will be given a Christian burial in the graveyard? Ophelia seems to have taken her own life and therefore she should not receive a Christian burial.

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What is the issue with Ophelia's burial?

In the churchyard, two gravediggers shovel out a grave for Ophelia. They argue whether Ophelia should be buried in the churchyard since her death looks like a suicide. According to religious doctrine, suicides may not receive Christian burial.

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Did Ophelia get a proper burial?

Although Gertrude says the branch broke and swept Ophelia down the river, the church denies her a full Christian burial on the grounds that she killed herself.

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What is the point of Ophelia's death?

Ophelia's drowning is the consummate representation of an eternal retreat into the feminine, trading an individual voice for eternal silence in union with feminine essence. In turn, her death expresses the danger of reducing an individual to his or her gender and disregarding the voice of the marginalized.

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Why was Ophelia allowed to be buried?

37 related questions found

Why Ophelia drowns herself?

Ophelia kills herself because the fate of Denmark is placed on her shoulders when she is asked to more or less spy on Hamlet, her father has been murdered (by her former lover no less), from the confusion created by her father and brother with regard to the meaning of love, and her suicide is even an act of revenge.

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What does Ophelia say before she kills herself?

Ophelia's final words are addressed to either Hamlet, or her father, or even herself and her lost innocence: “And will a not come again? / No, no, he is dead, / Go to thy death-bed, / He never will come again. / … / God a mercy on his soul. And of all Christian souls. God buy you.” Next, she drowns herself.

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Was Ophelia's death accidental?

Some see Ophelia's death as an accident; others see it as a suicide resulting from the accumulation of a series of unfortunate events: her rejection by her boyfriend, her father's murder, and her possible pregnancy.

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Who digs Ophelia's grave?

The Gravediggers appear briefly in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, making their only appearance at the beginning of Act V, scene i. They are first encountered as they are digging a grave for the newly deceased Ophelia, discussing whether she deserves a Christian burial after having killed herself.

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What is the corruption of Ophelia?

A tragic case of corruption is found with Ophelia, she is denied freedom of choice and treated more like a mannequin than an actual person. Although a treatment like this might not have been uncommon for a young girl at the time, she is obviously driven mad by Hamlet as well as her own family.

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What is questionable about Ophelia's death?

Her death is "doubtful" (V. L227) because she is as bereft of motivation as she dies as is the infant being baptized. Whatever "intention" leads to her drowning, the church seems to rule that she has "Too much of water" (IV. vii.

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What is the dramatic importance of Ophelia's funeral?

Ophelia's death is important because it is the final loss of a loved one that Hamlet sees. He finally comes to peace with these losses and accepts the reality of life.

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How does the priest feel about burying Ophelia?

In this scene, Laertes shows the same level of concern, as he tries to convince the priest to bury Ophelia like an innocent young woman. The problem, however, is that Ophelia took her own life, which the church frowns upon.

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What is significant about the flowers Ophelia hands out just before her death what could they symbolize?

Ophelia uses flowers as symbols of her deep sorrow and grief. She is very upset because her father, Polonius, has just been killed by Hamlet. Being a sensitive and intelligent young woman, Ophelia needs to express herself, and she does so by passing out flowers to the court in her seeming mad state of mind.

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Who is at fault for Ophelia's death?

Ophelia's death results from Hamlet's madness and his telling Ophelia that she needs to go to a nunnery. The cause of Ophelia's suicide was mainly from Hamlet's madness. Hamlet's madness came first from seeing the ghost of his father.

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Where is Ophelia's body found?

In Act 4 Scene 7, Queen Gertrude reports that Ophelia had climbed into a willow tree (There is a willow grows aslant the brook), and that the branch had broken and dropped Ophelia into the brook, where she drowned.

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Why is Ophelia denied the complete rites of the church?

Why is Ophelia denied full burial rites? The church has denied Ophelia full burial rights due to the fact that it was debated whether her death was suicide or truly an accident.

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Is Ophelia pregnant in Hamlet?

By this point, Ophelia would be well aware of her pregnancy, and well aware that she would soon begin to show outward signs of it.

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What was Ophelia's tragedy she loved too much?

A short while after, Ophelia is found dead in a river, having drowned that afternoon. Some believe her death was suicide and some assume that it was an accident. Unlike the other characters in the play, Ophelia died from loving too much, being too innocent, and too pure.

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How did Hamlet find out about Ophelia's death?

Hamlet, returned from his journey, comes upon a gravedigger singing as he digs. Hamlet tries to find out who the grave is for and reflects on the skulls that are being dug up. A funeral procession approaches. Hamlet soon realizes that the corpse is Ophelia's.

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What is Ophelia's mental illness in Hamlet?

Ophelia is a character in Hamlet who is shown to be diagnosed with the mental illness “Schizophrenia”. Her diagnosis within the first acts of the play is weak, however, her mental illness reaches its peak in act 4, as a cluster of schizophrenia's symptoms are shown.

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Why couldn t Hamlet marry Ophelia?

Bidding his sister, Ophelia, farewell, he cautions her against falling in love with Hamlet, who is, according to Laertes, too far above her by birth to be able to love her honorably. Since Hamlet is responsible not only for his own feelings but for his position in the state, it may be impossible for him to marry her.

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Did Ophelia know Hamlet killed her father?

Does Ophelia know Hamlet killed her father? - Quora. We can assume so yes. It's part of what drives her to suicide. The sense in the play is that Hamlet is justified in stabbing someone hiding behind the arras as he believes it to be a rat and it is an unfortunate accident.

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What was Ophelia doing when she drowned?

SARAH: Ophelia made a wreath of flowers and attempted to hang it on the branches of the willow. While doing so, she slipped and fell into the brook.

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Why is Gertrude responsible for Ophelia's death?

Ophelia's death was triggered by her mental breakdown due to the loss of her father. In the midst of her inner turmoil, her depression worsens as she learns that Hamlet, the man she loves departs to England. When she dies, Gertrude reports her death to Claudius and Laertes.

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