The passage from "Hamlet" describes Ophelia's tragic drowning in a brook after losing her grip on reality. Surrounded by weedy trophies, her descent is marked by a momentary buoyancy, where she seems to float like a mermaid, singing old melodies and lost to her sorrow. This reflects her mental state, as she appears detached from her own suffering, embracing the water as if it were a natural home.

However, the weight of her soaked clothes eventually drags her under, highlighting the struggle between her fleeting moments of beauty and the harshness of her fate. As the garments pull her down, her enchanting songs fade, symbolizing the end of her fragile existence and the inevitability of her tragic demise in a muddy, sorrowful end.