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ArchivesRe: origin of Ophelia
in reply to a message by Laura
OK, here's the scoop:
The Greek word meaning "helpfulness" is ÙÖÅËÉÁ (Ophelia, with an omega for "O" and an epsilon for "e"). As a name this is certainly not a Shakespearian concoction, and is recorded in *A Lexicon of Personal Greek Names*.
The Greek word for snake is ÏÖÉÓ (Ophis, with an omicron for O and an iota for i). Maybe some proto-goth punk Ophelia chic in ancient Greece wrote name with an omicron (to mean snake) but there is no written evidence for this. So the first eplanation is the correct one :)
The Greek word meaning "helpfulness" is ÙÖÅËÉÁ (Ophelia, with an omega for "O" and an epsilon for "e"). As a name this is certainly not a Shakespearian concoction, and is recorded in *A Lexicon of Personal Greek Names*.
The Greek word for snake is ÏÖÉÓ (Ophis, with an omicron for O and an iota for i). Maybe some proto-goth punk Ophelia chic in ancient Greece wrote name with an omicron (to mean snake) but there is no written evidence for this. So the first eplanation is the correct one :)
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Replies
So Ophelia does not mean “help” but “helpless”? That may be the reason why Shakespearian chose it for the character but makes it weaker and more pathetic.
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Thank you!
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