'Disease, Decay and Poison in Hamlet Essay\r'

'William Shakespeares Hamlet has been considered the greatest tragedy to have ever been written, in which the write up of indisposition, disintegration and embitter is plant deep within the well-known plot of the land. much(prenominal) theme is developed through the actions, dialogues and figurative oral communication of the fibres. These morbid images that are compound non solely dish the audience in grasping Hamlets consecutive emotion, precisely also play a hearty role in characterization, plot development and metaphorical message of the play.\r\nIdeas about death and physical decay constantly recur in much of the imaginativeness in Hamlet not only in order to depict the character development and pulsate down Hamlets true emotions to the audience, but also to serve as a metaphorical message on a larger scale. For instance, the imaginativeness of decay is utilized to help comprehend the depression Hamlet feels in his origin soliloquy about suicide: O that this to o sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew (I.ii 129-130), followed by his affinity of the creation to an unweeded garden. This is the first time that Hamlet unleashes his paceghts on the situation and creates a visualization of death. Hamlet and so communicates with the audience putting strong emphasis on his desire not to exist in this world anymore. An image of Hamlets flesh rotting is produced, followed by a picture of a beautiful garden misdirect by disastrous weeds that will destroy the good life.\r\nAt this moment the audience basin grasp Hamlets true emotions as they are competent to feel the pain and his yearn for death. Thus, the real imagery about the way Hamlet feels is brought forth. Furthermore, when Laertes comes to the castle to get information on his fathers execute, the hysterical Ophelia pretends to give him assorted flowers that re founder something, but when she comes to the violets, which resembles faithfulness, she says that they have all(a) lessen when my father died (IV.v 182). In this quote, the imagery of decay is present because both her father and the flowers have died.\r\nThis quote is real to the play as a hale as it is a metaphorical image of corruption and object lesson decay plaguing not only the characters, but the solid area of Denmark as well, consequently fore toneing the eventual(prenominal) collapse of the nation. This metaphor once again appears in the dialogue when Marcellus republics: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (I.iv. 100), thus foreshadowing the corrupt nature of Denmark leading to the sectionalisation of the royal family. Therefore, Shakespeares references to death and decay clearly check Hamlets desperate state of mind, simultaneously serving as a governmental metaphor which implies that the whole state is rotting.\r\nAnother meaning(a) recurring image throughout Hamlet is embitter., which plays a operative role in plot development. Poison is also an gra ve theme in the play, which is the main instrument of death. A germinal death image, which brings about the first and most important murder in the play, is the envenoming of Old Hamlet, enjoin deliberately by his uncle as he lies quiescence in his orchard. Sleeping within my orchard, my custom perpetually of the afternoon, 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 leprous distilment, whose termination holds such an enmity with blood of man that nimble as quicksilver it courses through the natural render and alleys of the body (I.v. 66-75)\r\nThe audiences thus run into acerbate when we divulge about the death of ability Hamlet, who was killed by his fellow pouring poison into his ear. The mention of poison holds a great amount of significance as it is apply as a device that leads Hamlet to canvas revenge upon Claudius. During the players reenactment of the crime in the later plot, the poison p oured into Old Hamlets ear reappears. The recurring imagery of poison can be interpreted as a metaphorical message throughout the play as poison is being poured into ears in the form of gossip, suggestions of revenge, slander, evilness thoughts that spreads drearness and disease upon the entire court of Denmark.\r\nHere, thou incestuous, murdrous, damned Dane, drink off this potion Follow my grow (V, 11, 302-304). Eventually, Hamlet mom Gertrude is killed by a bad drink, which is followed by Hamlet, Claudius, Laertes who are also killed by the cruel rapier. The use of irony and retributive justice in the play becomes apparent when Claudius uses poison to kill King Hamlet and in the end, the same poison kills him, as well as his wife, Laertes and Hamlet. After all, it is the use of poison that starts the story and unravels the denouement, thus possessing an important role in plot development.\r\nThe somber and dark images of egestness and disease are constantly brought up in H amlet, and shadow the corruption pervading the recent and future events of the castle. Throughout such images, Shakespeare succeeds in creating an atmosphere of cold and desolated darkness. Early in the first scene, when Francisco and Barnardo are standing watch, Francisco says: Tis better cold, and I am sick at heart? (I.i.8-9). Franciscos distemper foreshadows the sickness which is entering Denmark. The sickness in Denmark continues when Horatio is contemplating the reasons for the ghosts manner. Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse? (I.i.132). Horatio is describing the conditions in capital of Italy just before the murder of Julius Caesar and he believes that the appearance of the Ghost is a portent to Denmark, as the sick moon was a portent to Rome. These quotes are significant because they create an ominous atmosphere for the entire play.\r\nIn Hamlets first soliloquy, he says: Things rank and gross in nature, possess it merely? (I.ii.140-141). Hamlet apparently feels tha t the whole world is diseased. The sickness motif plays a significant role in the characterization of Hamlet, as it is prolonged with questions of Hamlets mental health as the story progresses. Hamlets dialogues cogitate sickness and disease throughout the play reflects not only the outward condition which causes Hamlets spiritual illness, but also his own state. Indeed, the shock of the discovery of his fathers murder and the sight of his mothers conduct have had a traumatic effect on Hamlet to the extent that when the play opens he has already begun to die internally, as all the springs of life are being gradually infected. Therefore, it is essential to notice the repetitive use of phrases related to sickness and disease in the dialogues, for it creates an ominous atmosphere throughout the play and further aids in the character development of Hamlet.\r\nIn conclusion, the theme of disease, decay and poison is important throughout the play as it is incorporated with the aim of re vealing Hamlets state of mind, conveying political messages, and adding greater significant to the plot development and characterization. Shakespeare successfully achieved his goal through utilizing the dominant theme of the play. As a result, the play has been making a lasting impression on the audiences.\r\nBibliography\r\nhttp://everything2.com/index.pl?node=Hamlethttp://www.azete.com/preview/7098www.ibiblio.org/schools/rls/ granary/britishlit/hamlet.pdf\r\n'