Ophelia?s first step into madness

Ophelia, her name is generally thought to be derived from the Greek word Aphelia, meaning "innocence." This is certainly a good description of her. Unfortunately her innocence does not save her, in Shakespeare?s story of Hamlet. This is where Shakespeare?s use of pathos comes in; we feel pity and sorrow for Ophelia while she is forced into madness and her circumstances that put her there in the play. In each of her circumstances she is put there by someone else, what I mean by this is it is never her fault that is why her death is a tragedy.
Ophelia?s first step into madness h...