"Child of God" and "Hamlet"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how Lolita Files' modern tale "Child of God", uses elements of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in a creative, entertaining and powerful way. In particular, the paper uses one element of both of these works, the Ophelia character, and offers insight about the comment each author is making about the human condition through the Ophelia character. The paper concludes that these two characters, although separated by generations and the mists of time, both are illustrative of the quest to realize one's destiny which, whether successful or not, is an essential part of the human experience.

Outline:
Introduction
Ophelia as Depicted in Hamlet
Ophelia in Child of God
The Two Ophelias in Comparison
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Hamlet is a complex combination of characters that are seemingly thrown into tragic circumstances without much preparation for what lies ahead. Of all of these characters, one of the most interesting, yet almost one dimensional, is Ophelia. She, in fact, contributes to the tragic elements of Hamlet through her own inability to overcome the obstacles that are thrown in her way, so instead of becoming a tragic heroine, she becomes simple a tragic figure, based on a few key facts from Shakespeare's work: Ophelia's youth contributes to her vulnerability, as well as the fact that her mother is dead, depriving her of the one elder who could give her the best advice to use as she grows into womanhood. Perhaps because of the absence of her mother, her father and brother take steps to shelter her from the outside world. Spending her time sewing and picking flowers, she lives in this sheltered world until the death of her father drives her to insanity and loose living, bringing everything that she had to a crashing halt."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Files, Lolita. Child of God. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2001.
• Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Signet Classic

More papers on "Child of God" and "Hamlet":

• Essay # 32198 : "Augustine's Understanding of the "City of God and the City of Man"
• Argumentative Essay # 84294 : "Questions of God and Evil"
• Analytical Essay # 16235 : "The Dialectic Nature of God and Satan"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: