Analysis of William Shakespeares Hamlet - Essay Example

English Literature William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which is celebrated in world literature for the several central themes it deals with, has been dfor a major literary piece which illustrates the relationship between literature and contemporary social contexts and the play very effectively depict a clear version of the influence of social malice on the lives of the individuals belonging to it. Thus, one of the most prevailing themes of the great play Hamlet is the theme of corruption and decay in the society which is greatly evident throughout the Act I of the play. That is to say, throughout Act I, a careful reader traces the development of corruption mostly through the powerful character of King Claudius and the impact of corruption connected with the king on the entire kingdom of Denmark is evident to the readers. The theme of decay becomes perceptible in King Claudius’ speeches which also reveal the moral, social and political corruption existent in the entire society. In fact, Shakespeare has been realized through the critical works of several scholars as a writer with great social commitments and he has been especially effective in dealing with the issue of corruption and its effect on the society of Hamlet. In the play, the images of disease pervade the dramatic language suggesting not merely the corruption of the individual but the degeneration of an entire society. Therefore, the images of disease and corruption can be seen right from the opening scene of the play which, in the course of action, turns out to be literal references to the decay of the society. These images of disease and corruption can be traced from the opening scene of the play to the end and Marcellus comment in the third scene points to the decayed state of affairs in the country: “something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” (I IV 90: 6678) All through his play, Shakespeare makes use of the imagery of disease, poison and decay and Marcellus’ statement indicates such imagery in the play. The playwright presents widespread corruption in the state of Denmark which is comparable to infectious diseases contaminating the entire court and such setting of disease also amplifies the readers’ revulsion for the nasty events in the play. Just as disease leads one to death, the disease of the society leads the state of Denmark to a damned situation. In short, the dramatist’s use of images of disease and corruption helps the readers comprehend the emotional and moral decay and the bitter relationships of the characters as well as the anxious, chaotic atmosphere of the play. As the play progresses the relevance of the images of disease and corruption also increases and, by the scene of Ophelia’s funeral, these images achieve a literal application rather than mere metaphorical meaning. “When the King, the Queen, and the courtiers reach the edge of Ophelia’s grave they have arrived at an important way-mark on their own journey towards death. At this point in the play the images of disease and corruption which have been used to symbolize that ‘something is rotten in the state of Denmark’ (I IV 90: 6678) have ceased to be metaphorical. They have become literal references to the smell of putrefying human flesh.” (Alexander, 1971, p. 161). Therefore, Shakespeare makes use of the images of disease and corruption which illustrate the rotten state of affairs that are evident in the various characters, their relationships, and the setting of the play. Shakespeare has been greatly skilled in depicting the evils of the society through the characters and themes of his plays and several of the Shakespearean plays illustrate the social perspectives of the writer through the depiction of corruption and malice of the society. Thus, several of the plays by Shakespeare illustrate the depiction of corruption and other malice of the society. Some of the examples are King Lear, Measure For Measure, and Hamlet and Shakespeare’s depiction of corruption in society had a significant impact on his contemporaries and the Revenger’s Tragedy offers a good example. Hamlet has been an influential work which determined the depiction of corruption in the society in other major plays such as Measure For Measure and the Revenger’s Tragedy. “The first and perhaps least debatable common denominator is the fact that both plays deal with a thoroughly corrupt society, a society without effective authority, where evil has been allowed free reign without fear of just punishment. In both plays, corruption is described mainly in terms of sexual indulgence and its concomitant diseases. In both plays, the human body, eaten away by infectious poison, is a powerful image of moral perversion and decay... What in Hamlet was ‘leperous distilment’, poisoning the blood and disintegrating the skin, has, in Measure for Measure, become a polluting disease, hollowing the bones and peeling off hair and all.” (Honigmann, 1986, p. 115). Therefore, there is a pervading use of images of disease and corruption which is characteristic of the dramatic language of the play and these images suggest not merely the corruption of the individual but, more significantly, the degeneration of an entire society which was the main concern of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In a state where the leader is the epitome of corruption, there is no hope for a betterment of the situation and the society’s corruption is best represented by the corruption of King Claudius, through the efficient employment of the images and references. “In his search for justice, however, Hamlet cannot count on society or law because the state of Denmark mirrors the corruption of its leader. ‘For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog’ (2.2.181), Hamlet says, using the common Renaissance metaphor of the sun for the ruler. Claudius is the sun, and he is breeding maggots in the dead body of Denmark. In the absence of justice, vengeance must rule.” (Croft, 2007, p. 100). A close reading of the play Hamlet proves that there are several images of sickness, disease, or blemish of the body which clearly suggest the corruption and malice of an entire system. All through the play, the images of disease pervade its dramatic language suggesting not merely the corruption of the individual but the degeneration of an entire society. Therefore, the images of disease and corruption can be seen right from the opening scene of the play giving direct links to the decay of the society. “In Hamlet, naturally, we find ourselves in an entirely different atmosphere, and if we look closely we see this is partly due to the number of images of sickness, disease, or blemish of the body in the play, and we discover that the idea of an ulcer or tumour, as descriptive of the unwholesome condition of Denmark morally, is, on the whole, the dominating one.” (Spurgeon, 2007, p. 25-6). Thus, there are various examples of the dramatic use of language by the various characters which suggest the corruption of the society through apt images. Thus, one finds that Hamlet speaks of his mother’s sin as a blister on the ‘fair forehead of an innocent love’ which suggests the corruption in the social life of the state. “So also, later, he compares the unnecessary fighting between Norway and Poland to a kind of rumour which grows out of too much prosperity. He sees the country and the people in it alike in terms of a sick body needing medicine or the surgeons knife. When he surprises Claudius at his prayers, he exclaims, ‘This physic but prolongs thy sickly days,’ and he describes the action of conscience in the unforgettable picture of the healthy, ruddy countenance turning pale with sickness. A mote in the eye, a ‘Vicious mole’, a galled chilblain, a probed wound and purgation, are also among Hamlet’s images; and the mind of Claudius runs equally on the same theme.” (Spurgeon, 2007, p. 26). In conclusion, it is obvious in a reflective analysis of the play Hamlet that the images of disease spread through the dramatic language of the play, which in turn suggest the corruption of the individual as well as the degeneration of an entire society. Therefore, Shakespeare has been effective in depicting the issue of corruption and its effect on the society of Hamlet through the images of and references to sickness, disease, or blemish of the body. References Alexander, Nigel. (1971). Poison, Play, and Duel: A Study in Hamlet. Taylor & Francis. p. 161. Croft, Janet Brennan. (2007). Tolkien and Shakespeare: Essays on Shared Themes and Language. McFarland. p. 100. Honigmann, E. A. J. (1986). Shakespeare and His Contemporaries: Essays in Comparison. London: Manchester University Press ND. p. 115. Spurgeon, Caroline. (2007). “Leading Motives in the Imagery of Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” Shakespeare Criticism 1919-35. Read Books. p. 25-6. Read More