Ophelia in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Audiences understand how Hamlet wrestles with continuing suicidal and homicidal urges as the plot progresses. Audiences see Ophelia unravelling mentally through the eyes of the other characters duringAct IV such as Claudius,‘…poorOphelia/Divided from herself and her fair judgement’. [...]that her garments, heavy with their drink/Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay/To muddy death’. There is uncertainty about this in the play, recognisable as equivalent to a present day coroner's open verdict.