Literary Movements Literature & Language Essay Paper (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course Name
Date
Literary Movements
Like many painters in the Victorian era, Sir John Everett Millais was also significantly influenced by the literary works of William Shakespeare. Specifically, Millais drew from the play Hamlet where he expressed his interest in the Shakespearean subject Ophelia; he used her character to display his artistic prowess by bringing Shakespeare’s words in Act IV, Scene VII to life. Essentially, Millais skillfully depicted the scene of Ophelia’s suicide using symbolic details that are carefully positioned in the environment where the event occurs.
In this artwork, Millais displays his creative vision and technical expertise through the choice of dress, setting, and body language. Angered by Hamlet’s action to Murder her father, Ophelia chooses to commit suicide by drowning; however, she does it calmly and somberly as described by Queen Gertrude (Roussillon-Constanty).