Shakespeare’s Ophelia:
O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!
The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword,
Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th’ observ’d of all observers- quite, quite down!
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
That suck’d the honey of his music vows,
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,
Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;
That unmatch’d form and feature of blown youth
Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me
T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see!
-Hamlet, Act III, Scene I
Waterhouse’s Ophelia:

Vogue’s Ophelia:

Ophelia, through the brush of Sir John Everett Millais:

Ophelia, through the lens of Mert and Marcus:

Inspiration never fades…
Image sources: Wikipedia, Vogue.com.