We have officially entered our Showgirl era, and we’re kicking it off with The Fate of Ophelia. Uncle Jerry teaches us all about Ophelia’s role in Hamlet, one of the Ophelia paintings Taylor may have drawn inspiration from, and a couple of feminist critics’ takes on Ophelia. 

We then get into the song, Angela weaves in a few nuggets of Tay-lore, and they round it out by discussing the feminist issues with the track,  watching the music video and listening to the voice memo of the writing of the song. 

Works Cited:

Hamlet – William Shakespeare – Affiliate Link

What are Foil Characters?

Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism  – Elaine Showalter

Hearing Ophelia: Gender and Tragic Discourse in "Hamlet" – Sandra K. Fischer

Desolation Row – Bob Dylan

The Story of Ophelia – The Tate

Pre-Raphaelite Women – Jan Marsh

Dante Gabriel Rossetti – Ash Russell

The Essential Pre-Raphaelites – Lucinda Hawksley – Aff Link

The Language of Flowers – Margaret Pickston – Aff Link

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady – Edith Holden – Aff Link

The King’s Two Bodies – Ernst Kantorowicz – Aff Link

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