Essay On Rottenness In Hamlet

Early on in Hamlet by William Shakespeare, a line is spoken that foreshadows and sets the scene for the entire play. Even though Marcellus is not a very important character in the play, he says “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” (I.IV), and sets the tone for the following events. The ‘rottenness’ in Denmark is spun off when Claudius kills King Hamlet in order to take over the throne. In the era that Hamlet was written, Elizabethans believed that all was connected. If the wrong King was in power, then everything else would fall apart. When Claudius becomes King of Denmark, the web of the universe is disturbed and the ghost of King Claudius begins to roam the castle. After a string of tragic events, Hamlet dies and Fortinbras of Norway arrives to take the throne and everything is resolved. The events in the play like the murder of King Hamlet, his ghost roaming Elsinore, and Claudius’s incestuous marriage all prove the statement that Marcellus makes so early on. When the ghost of King Hamlet first speaks to Hamlet, it is quickly established that the ghost was killed by the new King Claudius. This proves to be the first event that causes the imbalance in Denmark. The ghost is one of the first repercussions of the murder that triggered this chain of events. He tells Hamlet about what happened to him, and …show more content…
Not only did this marriage take place only 2 months after the death of King Hamlet, but Claudius was also his brother. The marriage is considered to be incestuous, and only makes matters worse for Denmark. When Hamlet is speaking to Gertrude in her bed chamber, He tells her; “And do not spread the compost on the weeds\To make them ranker.” (III.4) Hamlet is telling her that she is cultivating the weeds that are growing, and that it will only make matters worse. This use of imagery describes what is happening and how Gertrude is