Ophelia is a character in William Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet (1599–1601). She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet. Due to Hamlet’s actions, Ophelia ultimately becomes mad and drowns.
First Appearance The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke (1603) by William Shakespeare — First Quarto
First Publisher N. L. and Iohn Trundell
Appearance List The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke (1603) by William Shakespeare — First Quarto; Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623) by William Shakespeare — First Folio printing includes Hamlet; Tales from Shakespeare (1807) by Charles Lamb & Mary Lamb — prose retelling for young readers; Hamlet (1868) by Ambroise Thomas — opera; A Midsummer Night’s Dream: and Other Stories by E. Nesbit (1890) (A midsummer night’s dream.–Hamlet, prince of Denmark.–Twelfth night.–King Lear) [Internet Archive]; Hamlet (1921) directed by Svend Gade & Heinz Schall — silent film adaptation; Hamlet (1948) directed by Laurence Olivier; Hamlet (1964) directed by Grigori Kozintsev — Soviet feature film; Hamlet (1964) starring Richard Burton — filmed/videotaped Broadway performance; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1967) by Tom Stoppard — major derivative work expanding two minor Hamlet characters (first staged 1966; early book ed. 1967).
Sample Read Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [Internet Archive]
Description Ophelia is a character in William Shakespeare’s drama Hamlet (1599–1601). She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and potential wife of Prince Hamlet. Due to Hamlet’s actions, Ophelia ultimately becomes mad and drowns.
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