Something Is Rottenness In Hamlet Essay

Dearest friends, family and the people of Denmark. We gather here today to mourn the loss of the noble prince, loyal son and true friend, Prince Hamlet. But we are not here only to mourn, but to reminisce the times we have spent with him, both the good and the bad and to remember him as the person he was. Prince Hamlet did not live a very fortunate, on the contrary his final weeks were filled with a tragedy none of us should have to bear, but he lived his life to the full and I am sure that he has, in some way touched the lives of all of us here today.

Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, begins as an admired and noble young man. However, fate and the turn of events lead the tragic hero the depths of his fortunes. The tragedy starts with the death of the heroic King Hamlet. His brother, Claudius is the successor as King of Denmark and married the protagonist’s mother. When a ghost of the late King Hamlet appears, Hamlet’s downfall begins. The ghost explains to Hamlet that Claudius killed his father “upon my secure hour thy uncle stole with juice of cursed hebona in a vial, and in the porches of my ears did pour the leperous distilment, whose effect holds such an enmity with blood of man” (1001). Hamlet then feels like he must get revenge against Claudius and sets out to plot how it will happen. King Claudius senses something suspicious about Hamlet and sends for Hamlet’s two

In Act II, Scene II, Hamlet characterizes his oppression by the state by comparing it to one of the clearest manifestations of the government’s control over the subject’s body: a prison, “A goodly one, in which there are many confines, wards and dungeons, Denmark being one o’ th’ worst” (Act II, Scene II). This statement succinctly describes the claustrophobic atmosphere that pervades Elsinore. Indeed, Elsinore’s restrictions and constant surveillance infringes upon the individual rights of many of the characters, including Hamlet. In the play, the sovereign state, represented by Claudius, places limitations upon the individual subject’s right to exercise their agency by regulating their bodies and actions. Hamlet’s rebellion against his uncle’s oppressive regime positions him as a figure who, by consciously and deliberately rejecting the political demands made by the sovereign state, is able to achieve a greater degree of political subjectivity and personal freedom. By creating a play that is fixated upon who, or what, holds agency over one’s body and actions, Shakespeare raises questions concerning the role of agency in an individual’s internal (personal) and external (political) lives. The issue of actively taking action against political, and personal, injustice versus trusting in God’s will remains unanswered. The question of who

Fortinbras is threatening Denmark with vicious attack; the throne is stolen from its rightful owner; incest is being committed on the throne, and Denmark is being viewed as an appallingly weak monarchy. As the disturbance of the Great Chain of Being begins, it only shows signs of getting worse. The fact that Old Hamlet and Claudius are royal opposites does not help anything either. Old Hamlet is known as “a ‘majestical’ king and a great soldier”, and Claudius is known as “a smiling, creeping, serpent” (Wilson 58,44), while Old Hamlet’s “wisdom and human understanding” is contrasted with the depravities of Claudius, “murderer and usurper” (States 94,98). These profound divergences between Old Hamlet and Claudius are certainly dooming for Denmark’s Great Chain as they induce calamity.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark has been performed thousands of times since it was “written in 1599–1601 and published in a quarto edition in 1603” (Britannica.com). It’s popularity stems from its themes that translate across time. These themes, are seen to be relatable even to this day with the ever growing audience. Readers and viewers are able to find similarities between the current state and or even relate to one of the characters or events taking place over the course of Shakespeare’s five act masterpiece. Shakespeare's, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark remains a viable text for contemporary readers in that it functions as a mirror.

Hamlet is as much a story of emotional conflict, paranoia, and self-doubt as it is one of revenge and tragedy. The protagonist, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, is instructed by his slain father’s ghost to enact vengeance upon his uncle Claudius, whose treacherous murder of Hamlet’s father gave way to his rise to power. Overcome by anguish and obligation to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet ultimately commits a number of killings throughout the story. However, we are not to view the character Hamlet as a sick individual, but rather one who has been victimized by his own circumstances.

To all thee of Denmark, your presence here today is a extraordinary tribute to Prince Hamlet, a reflection of his courage, strength and dignity, we shall not look upon his like again. If but only for today, we are all united, burdened with the like

Early on in Hamlet, a guard slightly mentions that there is “something rotten in the state of Denmark” (Shakespeare, I.iv.90). The tranquility of Denmark is suddenly shattered by Claudius’s marriage to

Hamlet returns to Denmark to quickly find that a hasty “incestuous” marriage between his widowed mother and his uncle would all too quickly follow his own father’s funeral. Perhaps the most significant sign that all was not right in Denmark was the apparition of the slain former King. Hamlet’s father’s apparition is viewed by Hamlet and his company as an open sign that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (1068). From this first revelation, Hamlet learns by degrees of the evil that attempts to hide itself behind the “legitimate” passing on of the throne. Hamlet gets a first glimpse of the evil in the appearance of the restless soul of his father, later, more so with that ghost’s revelation of the murderous truth to Hamlet, up until Hamlet’s own observation of Cladius’ unique

Wherever you are, weather in 17th century Denmark or in Alabama in the 1930’s, there will always be issues surrounding equality, injustice, and fair punishment. Justice is an essential part of human interaction, and if justice is not served in a timely and morally correct manner, there will be chaos amongst the people until it is restored. Shakespeare’s play Hamlet and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird both deal with these issues, and shed some light on how humans perceive crime, punishment and morality. Structuralism states that both Hamlet and Bob Ewell condemn themselves, as they are both responsible for the deaths of innocent people (Polonius and Tom Robinson respectively.)

Hearing of the unrest in Denmark, young Fortinbras sets out to wrest control for himself. The audience never truly gets to know Fortinbras, but it is evident that he is a clever man, who is loyal to both his country and his family. When all is said and done, Fortinbras inherits the crown of Denmark, and he gained it not through dishonest means, but rather through fortitude, patience, and strategy. When he hears the truth of the situation he has stumbled into, Fortinbras recognizes Hamlet’s struggle and declares him a hero.. Laertes, another foil of Hamlet’s, is again demonstrative of a power struggle within the Danish court.

   The legendary drama, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare is a play illustrating the theme of virtue vs. villainy. The 17th century tragedy is plagued with treachery and deceit as it opens with the news of a foul murder in the kingdom of Denmark. Prince Hamlet, by word of his late father's ghost, is informed that his uncle Claudius is to blame for his father's sudden demise. Prince Hamlet's mission is to uncover the secrets surrounding the murder and to avenge his father's death. Thus, the insidious web of disease and corruption is formed. The relationship between disease leading to the greater corruption of Denmark plays a significant role in the lives of the principle players.

Through Hamlet’s use of deception imagery, the complexity of his character and his unattainable desire for a world free of lying and deceit are presented. Hamlet’s nobility and hatred for deception is evident when he bitterly expresses to Gertrude that he is legitimately mourning his father’s death: "Seems," madam? Nay, it is; I know not "seems" (I.ii.77). Surrounded by people who have come to terms with his father’s death, Hamlet is unable to complete the proper grieving process. By grieving, Hamlet yearns for a more stable environment. His yearning dooms him as he contradicts his previous notion of inner truth. After the discovery of his father’s “foul and unnatural” murder, Hamlet clarifies that what is on the surface can be drastically different to the dark reality. “That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain. At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark” (I.vi.100-110). Hamlet realizes the artifice used in Denmark in order to pursue treachery. Hamlet’s overwhelming indecisiveness forces him to endure the opposite of a stable environment.

Corruption in Denmark begins with selfish greed. Unknown to Hamlet or the people of Denmark, Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, begins the turmoil by murdering his own brother by pouring a poisonous “juice of cursed hebona” into Hamlet Sr.’s ear, in exchange for his selfish

During my recent trip to the country of Denmark, I made it my mission to conjure the spirit that has been the source of Hamlets erratic behavior. Some believe that Hamlet was always distrusting of his uncle Claudius, due to his lust for royalty and power. It is evident to the observer,