In William Shakespeare's famous play, Hamlet, he uses Ophelia to describe different themes: obedience and rebellion. Although Ophelia is not present in the majority of the play and there is little background information about her, she still plays a vital role in the play. Ophelia's character centers on her relationships with her father, Polonius, her brother, Laertes, her lover Hamlet, and Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. Through Ophelia's interactions with the main characters, the reader can better understand their personalities. Ophelia is an innocent and naive young girl faced with a problem: she must decide whether to obey her father and brother or rebel and continue to fall in love with Hamlet. Ophelia's interactions with her brother Laertes, in Act I, Scene III, clearly depict Ophelia's obedience to the men in her life. Before leaving, he gives Ophelia some advice regarding her relationship with Hamlet. He warns her that Hamlet's affection for her is "The scent and supplication of a minute,/No more" (I.iii.10-11). Laertes warns him that although Hamlet's affections are now sincere, they will not last. He also warns him that Hamlet may not be free to make his own choices about who he will take as his wife because “he himself is subject to his birth” (I.iii.21). Hamlet was born above Ophelia and, therefore, he must marry above her. It is obvious that Laertes feels affection for his innocent younger sister and tries to protect her. Ophélie listens to everything he says and tells him that she will think about everything he has said to her. Although Ophelia takes her brother's words to heart, Laertes does not do the same when Ophelia tries to lecture him. Ophelia advises him not to “Show me the middle of the paper… to let it be known that she believes that her Polonius was a good and honorable man (Eriksson). She also states that no one else possesses loyalty. It is evident in this scene that Ophelia has a good understanding of the people around her and herself. She lost her innocence. Throughout the play, Shakespeare used Ophelia to bring out the feminine nature of women in European society. The men in Ophelia's life control her and use her for their own purposes. The audience can see Ophelia go from an innocent and loved girl to a woman who has lost her mind. The loss of Hamlet's love and the death of her father push Ophelia over the edge. In the end, she even loses her life. It is associated with the main characters of the play to show the theme of love, obedience, male dominance, fidelity and the role of women in society..