To See and Hear Like Ophelia, or How Not to Take Leave of One’s Senses: Representations of the Madwoman in Youtube Culture

Ophelia, fated to insanity, has attracted incomparably more interest than any other Shakespearean heroine. As an archetype of a madwoman Ophelia has been in the limelight for a wide range of supporters and adversaries: literary critics, theatre and film directors, actors and actresses, psychiatrists, philosophers, writers, poets, painters, photographers, feminist and gender revolutionists, and ordinary people, especially women who want to act the story of her losing her senses. The last-mentioned category appear to be fulfilling their dreams of becoming madwomen by posing as lunatic Ophelia and being filmed. The destiny of these amateur films is to be posted on YouTube.