The Limit as ‘Rot’ Approaches Infinity
“To be or not to be: that is the question” (3.1.56) is possibly the most famous rhetorical question in the world. It has been pondered by many bright minds, stripped to its basic structure and yet it eludes a definitive answer. Part of that elusiveness lies in the multitude of motifs/ image patterns that represent the question throughout the course of the play. Out of he many motifs, the one that seems to add the most to the elusiveness to the answer is the motif of poison/decay/rot/disease (‘rot’). Developed by the dialogue and its use of figurative language, ‘rot’ performs three major functions in the play. Firstly, the motif is used to set the overall tone and atmosphere throughout the play. Secondly, …show more content…
One of the many themes in Hamlet is the theme of madness. Madness is best personified by Hamlet himself who starts to ‘act’ with an “antic disposition” (1.5.172). The ‘rot’ image pattern is fundamental to madness because madness itself is a principal of ‘rot’ spotlighting the components of rot and decay. Hamlet’s madness is well staged, so much so that Polonius believes that Hamlet is, “far gone, far gone [from sanity]” (2.2.190-191). This example of madness represents ‘rot’ since it portrays the supposed ‘decay’ of Hamlet’s mind by a ‘disease’ (his madness). Further on, when Claudius asks Gertrude about Hamlet, she exclaims the he is as, “Mad as the sea and the wind…in his lawless fit/ And, in his brainish apprehension, kills the unseen good old man” (4.1.6-11). This irrevocably links madness with ‘rot’ because it is the rotting of Hamlet’s mind, which leads to murder, highlighting integral components of ‘rot’ (rot and death). This inclusion of ‘rot’ in the theme allows the theme to develop through the exploration of the ‘rot’ image pattern to portray the overall effects of Hamlet’s scheme. Thus, we can see that the ‘rot’ image pattern acts as the cornerstone for the theme of madness by providing the basis for the theme to develop. ‘Rot’ is also a fundamental part of the motif of the physical manifestation of death. That motif is best represented in the graveyard when Hamlet, holding …show more content…
Shakespeare 's skill in weaving this motif into the play is evidence of his genius as a playwright and quality of his writings. “To be or not to be; that is the question” (3.1.56). In the end, one realizes that the very motifs that make it elusive also provide us with its answer. The answer does not exist because as ‘rot’ has displayed eventually we all end like, “Imperious Caesar, dead and turn’d to clay”
“To be or not to be: that is the question” (3.1.56) is possibly the most famous rhetorical question in the world. It has been pondered by many bright minds, stripped to its basic structure and yet it eludes a definitive answer. Part of that elusiveness lies in the multitude of motifs/ image patterns that represent the question throughout the course of the play. Out of he many motifs, the one that seems to add the most to the elusiveness to the answer is the motif of poison/decay/rot/disease (‘rot’). Developed by the dialogue and its use of figurative language, ‘rot’ performs three major functions in the play. Firstly, the motif is used to set the overall tone and atmosphere throughout the play. Secondly, …show more content…
One of the many themes in Hamlet is the theme of madness. Madness is best personified by Hamlet himself who starts to ‘act’ with an “antic disposition” (1.5.172). The ‘rot’ image pattern is fundamental to madness because madness itself is a principal of ‘rot’ spotlighting the components of rot and decay. Hamlet’s madness is well staged, so much so that Polonius believes that Hamlet is, “far gone, far gone [from sanity]” (2.2.190-191). This example of madness represents ‘rot’ since it portrays the supposed ‘decay’ of Hamlet’s mind by a ‘disease’ (his madness). Further on, when Claudius asks Gertrude about Hamlet, she exclaims the he is as, “Mad as the sea and the wind…in his lawless fit/ And, in his brainish apprehension, kills the unseen good old man” (4.1.6-11). This irrevocably links madness with ‘rot’ because it is the rotting of Hamlet’s mind, which leads to murder, highlighting integral components of ‘rot’ (rot and death). This inclusion of ‘rot’ in the theme allows the theme to develop through the exploration of the ‘rot’ image pattern to portray the overall effects of Hamlet’s scheme. Thus, we can see that the ‘rot’ image pattern acts as the cornerstone for the theme of madness by providing the basis for the theme to develop. ‘Rot’ is also a fundamental part of the motif of the physical manifestation of death. That motif is best represented in the graveyard when Hamlet, holding …show more content…
Shakespeare 's skill in weaving this motif into the play is evidence of his genius as a playwright and quality of his writings. “To be or not to be; that is the question” (3.1.56). In the end, one realizes that the very motifs that make it elusive also provide us with its answer. The answer does not exist because as ‘rot’ has displayed eventually we all end like, “Imperious Caesar, dead and turn’d to clay”