When thinking about how is Ophelia driven insane and ultimately to her death in Hamlet the play. I was surprising confused as to what series of events lead to what and therefore, it was difficult to choose one or even two that I thought were 100% concrete.
Because at the outset of the play when we meet Ophelia, who is a sweet young lady that appears to be pretty, intelligent, and a symbol for courtly innocence and decorum. By the end of the play she somehow manages to have drowned, which was either potentially an act of suicide, or just a symbol of the madness she had fallen in to.
I think everyone on this Earth is bound to suffer some heart ache at one time or another. Losing my first love was one of the worst gut wrenching things I ever experienced. I also have some experience in seeing someone erode from stable healthy mental state to a complete and udder mess. Mental stability is a somewhat tenuous thing that I feel society’s take for granted. Here are some of the theories that I agreed with, about Ophelia taking such a tragic turn. 1) She is heart-broken over Hamlet.
“The idea that Ophelia is more heart-broken over the loss of her father or more heart-broken over the loss of Hamlet tells you a great deal about her character and what she values.” (Informing Bethany Lutheran College's, 2013)
2) She is heart-broken… over Polonius.
“Again, for her not to be deeply affected by the loss of her father is equally unlikely. I don’t care if she’s a lovesick teen, if her father died, she will be distraught over it.” (Informing Bethany Lutheran College's, 2013)
3) She is pregnant.
“Some speculate that there are clear signs in the text that Ophelia has lost her maidenhood to Hamlet and is pregnant.” Being a symbol of virtue in this era would definitely be detrimental to her, if this was the case. (Informing Bethany Lutheran College's, 2013)

4) She is torn