Corruption The Good, The Bad and The Decayed Essay

Death and decay often convey corruption within a story. The use of this particular imagery allows one to make a connection between the natural world and the nature of people. Throughout Hamlet, a play, set in Denmark, which was written in the early seventeenth century by William Shakespeare, there are several instances where one sees decay depicting corruption. Though this play is filled with massive images of decaying nature, it is also filled with images of nature in its beautiful state. Because Hamlet portrays decaying and developing nature, it shows one that it is possible to maintain a sense of self in a world that strives on corruption. The first image of decay used in Hamlet was during Act 1, Scene 2. Hamlet states, â€Å"tis an†¦show more content†¦Though Claudius was the most corrupted character throughout the play, the most important corrupted character was Hamlet. Hamlet allowed for the overgrown garden of weeds to capture his mind and essentially drive him crazy . Hamlet was away studying at university for most of his life, and when he finally came back to his tragic reality he was ultimately forced to vow vengeance on his uncle for murdering his father. Hamlet, being the indecisive character that he is, allowed the corruption of those around him to lead him into doing things that was just not him. The ghost of Hamlet’s father states â€Å"I find thee apt; / And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed / That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, / Wouldst thou not stir in this.† (Shakespeare 1.5.31-34). In context, the ghost is telling Hamlet if he does not react to the news of his father’s murder then he is stupider than the weed that grows on the river of forgetfulness. This is the first sign of the forced corruption taking over Hamlet. Because of this forced corruption, Hamlet drives himself to the brink of insanity, and ultimately it’s his insanity and his lust for revenge that begins to fuel his corruption. Despite the fact that Hamlet is filled with characters that add to the weeds in the unkempt garden of life, there are characters that have remained beautiful products of nature despite their counterparts making the transformation from flowers to weeds. Shakespeare’s usage ofShow MoreRelatedSomething Is Rotten in the State of Denmark Essays741 Words   |  3 Pageswritten. 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. 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