Hamlet question?

Question:Why does Ophelia die, and who is responsible? I need help for my drama class..

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Why does Ophelia die, and who is responsible? I need help for my drama class..

It's under great debate. One theory is that Ophelia had syphilis from her encounter with Hamlet. One symptom of syphilis in it's tertiary stage is insanity.

Another theory is that she was driven insane by Hamlet and his noncommittance, her father and his control and attempts to use her to spy, and the hints of the possiblity of her being pregnant (''Get thee to a nunnery", "fishmongers wife").

During her madness she's singing a song that includes the line "quoth she, before you tumbled me, you promised me to wed" which hints at the possibility that Hamlet promised her he would marry her if they had sex as an incentive to get her into bed.

She drown in a pool. So the main question is, did she fall from the tree, from the bank, did she jump or was she pushed. Elizabethan courts were highly attended, it's more than likely she was seen. Why did no one stop her or save her?

The question, though phrases how did she die, is actually what caused her death.

There are many opinions about this. Check them out and form your own opinion.

She fell out of a tree into a creek and drowned. Was it accidental or did she commit suicide because of Hamlet's rejection? That is left for you to decide.