Hamlet - Act 4, Scene 5 - Ophelia's Madness (18 points)
Name ______________________________
Hour ____________
Directions: Read the following passages that Ophelia speaks and sings in Act 4, Scene 5. Imagine that you are a
psychologist who must determine the root of Ophelia's madness from these few cryptic lines. Decide on an
interpretation of the true meaning of each passage. Then, answer the discussion question at the bottom of the page.
Use the back of this page if you need more room to write.
Line 22+:
How should I your true love know
From another one?
By his cockle hat and staff,
And his sandal shoon.
Interpretation:
Line 28+:
Pray you, mark. (sings)
White his shroud as the mountain snow—
Interpretation:
Line 31+:
Larded all with sweet flowers,
Which bewept to the ground did not go
With true-love showers.
Interpretation:
Line 37+:
Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donned his clothes,
And dupped the chamber door.
Let in the maid that out a maid
Never departed more.
Interpretation:
Line 41+:
By Gis and by Saint Charity,
Alack, and fie, for shame!
Young men will do 't, if they come to 't.
By Cock, they are to blame.
Quoth she, “Before you tumbled me,
You promised me to wed.”
He answers,
“So would I ha' done, by yonder sun,
An thou hadst not come to my bed.”
Interpretation:
Line 148+:
Interpretation:
There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love,
remember. And there is pansies, that's for thought.
Line 152+:
Interpretation:
There's fennel for you, and columbines.—There's rue for
you, and here's some for me. We may call it “herb of grace”
o' Sundays.—Oh, you must wear your rue with a difference.—
There's a daisy. I would give you some violets,
but they withered all when my father died. They say he made a good end
(sings) For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy—
Line 160+:
(sings)
And will he not come again?
And will he not come again?
No, no, he is dead,
Go to thy deathbed.
He never will come again.
His beard was as white as snow,
All flaxen was his poll.
He is gone, he is gone,
And we cast away moan,
God ha' mercy on his soul.—
And of all Christian souls, I pray God. God be wi' ye.
Interpretation:
Concluding Question: As a group of psychologists, what have you determined to be the overall purpose of Ophelia's
cryptic lines? What point(s) is she trying to make? What is the ultimate root of her madness? Support your claims
with evidence from the text (10 points) This should be a well-thought out analysis paragraph