I know the best choice would be " had committed suicide", but I wanted to know if "had drowned herself" should be evaluated a mistake.

Thank you.

1) When Hamlet returns to England he learns that Ophelia has ________ in a state of________
(has died/drowned herself/has committed suicide/has taken her own life (which are wrong?)in a state of madness.

"committed suicide" is the most general term, but to say "had drowned herself" is not incorrect. All your choices are fine.

To determine whether "had drowned herself" is a mistake in the given context, we need to consider the character and the circumstances described in the sentence. Here's how you can evaluate this:

1. Understand the context: The sentence talks about Hamlet returning to England and learning about Ophelia's fate. It mentions that Ophelia is in a state of madness.

2. Consider the character's actions: When evaluating this sentence, it is important to understand Ophelia's character and her actions leading up to her death. In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," Ophelia's death is presented ambiguously. It is believed that she may have died by drowning, whether accidental or intentional.

3. Analyze the choices: Let's analyze the given choices:
a) "has died" - This choice is more general and does not specify the cause of Ophelia's death. It could refer to any form of death, including drowning.
b) "drowned herself" - This choice suggests that Ophelia intentionally drowned herself. It aligns with one of the possibilities portrayed in the play.
c) "has committed suicide" - This choice implies that Ophelia intentionally took her own life. It is considered the most accurate choice given the connotations of Ophelia's death in the play.

Based on the analysis, "had drowned herself" is not a mistake in the given context. It accurately reflects one of the possible interpretations of Ophelia's fate in Shakespeare's play. However, "had committed suicide" remains the best choice as it is the most widely accepted interpretation of her death.