Book excerpt: Although she appears in only a handful of scenes in Hamlet, Ophelia is one of Shakespeare's most enigmatic and unforgettable characters. This collection of new essays is the first to explore the rich afterlife of one of Shakespeare's most recognizable characters. With contributions from an international group of established and emerging scholars, The Afterlife of Ophelia moves beyond the confines of existing scholarship and forges connections among fields that are typically pursued as separate lines of inquiry within Shakespeare studies: film and new media studies, theatre and performance studies, historicist and contextual perspectives, and studies of popular culture.