Something Is Rotten in the State of Denmark Essays

Introduction: William Shakespeares Hamlet has been considered the greatest tragedy to ever be written. Shakespeare develops the theme of both physical and psychological decay and corruption through the actions, dialogues, and figurative language of the characters. â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.† –Marcellus (Act 1, Scene 4) The following quote was taken from Act 1, Scene 4 and was said by Marcellus. Interestingly, it foreshadows one of the main themes in the play Hamlet- That is corruption and decay, an element Shakespeare always uses in his plays, such as Othello and Macbeth. As Hamlet returns home he discovers his father’s death, his mother married to her brother-in-law and the return of his father through a ghost. All†¦show more content†¦Unknown to the people of Denmark, it was Claudius who killed King Hamlet, and stole his crown and his wife. Claudius had won the love of Gertrude and then murdered the King by pouring the poisonous juice of cursed hebona(I.v.63) into his ear. This poison invaded his defenseless body and swift as quicksilver it courses through / The natural gates and alleys of the body.(I.v.67) In a sense the poison used by Claudius spreads throughout the entire country of Denmark. Ghost of King Hamlet Rottenness in Denmark is also seen in the ghost of King Hamlet. Just the sign of a walking ghost is a bad omen in itself, a sign that something rotten will or has taken place. The ghost has come to inform Hamlet that King Hamlet was murdered by Claudius, who deprived him of a last opportunity to confess his sins. King Hamlet tells the prince because of this he is doomed to spend his days within the purgatorial fires of his prison and roam at nights. The ghost then calls upon Hamlet to avenge the murder. Hamlet swears that he will, which will eventually lead to the total decay of him and his uncle. Hamlets character is the most puzzling of the whole play. His mind erodes further and further as the play unfolds. In act three, Hamlet asks himself whether he should commit suicide or fight the hardships in life: To be or not to be - that is the question:/ Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/ Or to take arms againstShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Hamlet 1162 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark† (I, iv, 90). In other words, something is not right. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the young prince, Hamlet, experiences numerous dilemmas in the country. In order for the country to remain stable, each character must follow the moral. As the play moves forward, Shakespeare uncovers the real extent of ‘rottenness’ coming from several characters. Rotten can be either physical or mental. Horatio defines ‘rotten’ as corruption within the state of DenmarkRead MoreThe Importance Of Natural Language In Hamlet In William Shakespeares Hamlet737 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Something is Rotten in the state of Denmark† (Shakespeare, 1.5.1780) How much power does a king have? In Early Modern England this question was not one of politics and militaries, but of a natural social order. The Great Chain of Being Places a King above his country; if the king becomes corrupted so does the state and in turn, the natural world will become diseased and rank. Shakespeare’s use natural language in hamlet indicates an adherence to The Great Chain of Being. The corruption of theRead MoreEssay about The Corruption in William Shakespeares Hamlet891 Words   |  4 Pagesare the varying elements of corruption which occur during the play. This is echoed in Marcellus famous comment of Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, when Hamlet is beckoned away by the Ghost (1.4.90). 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