Ophelia what the other characters interpret as grief for her father. She talks in riddles and rhymes, and sings some "mad" and bawdy songs about death and a maiden losing her virginity. She exits after bidding everyone a "good night". The last time Ophelia appears in the play is after Laertes comes to the castle to challenge Claudius over the death of his father, Polonius. Ophelia sings more songs and hands out flowers, citing their symbolic meanings, although interpretations of the meanings differ. The only herb that Shakespeare gives Ophelia herself is rue; "...there's rue for you, and here's some for
Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be? me a twopenny whistle He'll buy me a threepenny fair He'll buy me a Bunch o' Blue Ribbons To tye up my bonny Brown Hair O saw ye him coming And saw ye him coming O saw ye him coming Hame frae the Newcastle fair </poem> The following are given as the traditional lyrics (being chorus and verse) in Cuddon's and Preston's "A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory": <poem> O dear, what can the matter be? Dear, dear, what can the matter be? O dear, what can the matter be? Johnny's so long at the fair. He promised