Ophelia's Flowers Act IV Scene V
Flowers were incredibly meaningful during Shakespeare’s time and when Ophelia is handing out flowers in the play she is not being totally crazy, she is saying something very specific to her audience.
When Ophelia loses her mind in Act IV, Scene V, she starts handing out flowers to everyone around her. She talks directly about the symbolic meaning of those flowers, but what is also important is who might be getting these flowers.
Ophelia is very emotional in this scene. She has a lot of angry/upset feelings to get out, but because she is a lady living in a royal kingdom, she has to express her feelings in a lady-like way. Shakespeare's idea
of her using flowers to express her thoughts, made the scene more delicate, appropriate and symbolic.
When Ophelia loses her mind in Act IV, Scene V, she starts handing out flowers to everyone around her. She talks directly about the symbolic meaning of those flowers, but what is also important is who might be getting these flowers.
Ophelia is very emotional in this scene. She has a lot of angry/upset feelings to get out, but because she is a lady living in a royal kingdom, she has to express her feelings in a lady-like way. Shakespeare's idea
of her using flowers to express her thoughts, made the scene more delicate, appropriate and symbolic.