Death, Decay and Disease in Hamlet :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Death, Decay and Disease in Hamlet    Within Hamlet, Shakespeare makes a number of references to Denmarks degraded state due to the deceit that lies within. These references are do by Hamlet, Horatio as well as the apparition, thus enforcing the strong motive of death, decay and disease.  As aforementioned Hamlets makes a number of references to Denmark. Preceding the death of his father and the marriage of his mother, his mental state begins to f each into demise . Although he appears to not have much courage at first, his focus cadaver on avenging his father whose murder is described as being some foul. As noted in one of  Hamlets first soliloquies, his downward spin around has already began and already he is  contemplating suicide O that this withal too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew (I, II, 130) and seems to me all the intakes of this world... Things rank and gross in nature posses it merely (I, II, 136). To be deg rading to be thinking of resourcefulness including flesh melting shows that Hamlet is not in the state that he ought to be in.  Furthermore Shakespeare encourages us to empathize with these emotions by using much(prenominal) rich descriptions.  It could be perhaps argued that Hamlets state of mind which has become debased, simply this is until Horatio claims, Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (I, IV, 90). The notion of festering carrion being a metaphor for King Hamlets death epitomizes this notion. The ghost furthers this idea by stating at the moment of his death, his skin became Most lazar-like with vile and loathsome crust all my smooth body (I, V, 72). This attempts the elucidate on the feeling of death roughly like becoming like a leper before death in the long run takes its toll. Decay also becomes a strong theme weighing severely on Hamlets mind. Whilst talking to Polonius he says, For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing car rion (II, II, 182). Although Polonius appears not to attain this, we can see the constant references to death being made by Shakespeares tools, i.e. the characters.  Moreover associated with Shakespeares use of decay and disease imagery is his use of horror, Roasted in wrath and fire thus oersized with coagulate dialog box (II, II, 431), is a perfect example of this.