Ophelia [Re]Envisioned: Feminist, Intertextual Analysis of Depictions of Ophelia from the Baroque to Postmodern Era

Indianapolis, IN

Examinations of art forms and movements over several centuries unveil a definitive shift in technical approaches to art, but whether the evolution of art always fomented countercultural voices requires further questioning. Observing differences in visual, theatrical, and textual representations of Shakespeare's character "Ophelia" reveals how often art reflects, rather than subverts, gender and body politics of the respective time period. From her Victorian incarnations as an icon of purity, modesty, and idealized femininity to her visual absence in the Baroque era to her appropriated appearances in postmodern art, Ophelia's subjectivity remains subsumed by societal, patriarchal forces. This project examines all the aforementioned art movements' depictions of Ophelia and how they promoted or deconstructed patriarchal designs, namely the "male gaze." Through this process, I explore the profound interconnection between societal forces and artistic movements.