Corruption in Hamlet

Corruption in Hamlet

1. Revenge

   • Corruption of ones mind = madness
     • Hamlet is taken over by revenge and unaware of his action
       • 'Corruption is like a weed that grows and spreads
   • Hamlet's revengful actions corrupt the minds of others
     • Even how he doesn't act
       • 'And so am I revenged. That would be scanned'
         • Therefore shows how his mind is corrupted from his morality - deciding whether to do the right thing or not.

2. Intro

   • Introduce Q - mention characters involved (claudius, hamlet, gertrude ect)
     • How that ultimately affects the state of Denmark
       • TRAGEDY
       • 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark'
         • CLAUDIUS!!!!!

3. Blind loyalty and manipulation

   • CORRUPTS ONES MORALITY
     • Ophelia
       • LOVE LETTERS
         • Ophelia rejecting the letters from Hamlet that he sends her.
           • Corruption of friendships.
           • POLONIUS' POSSESSIVE ACTIONS TOWARDS OPHELIA
             • 'Like you asked.'
         • Hamlet's trust+love for those closest to him being manipulated.
     • R+G
       • Do not value friendship with Hamlet anymore
         • 'But we both obey'
           • Shows how they're following the hierarchy and doing what Claudius says, showing a manipulation over R+G that Claudius has, and the corruption of friendship that leads Hamlet to madness.

4. Greed + Chain of events

   • Greed is the inception of corruption + creates a cascading effect in Hamlet
     • Claudius' greed for the throne sets off the chain of events
       • The unnatural coronation of Claudius is corrupting to Denmark

5. CONTEXT