Innocence in Hamlet and Lord of the Flies If a writer wants to symbolize evil, the corruption of the innocent has proven to be a very effective method. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses the mere presence of evil as a way to corrupt stranded minors that are scared and vulnerable. A group of young schoolboys crash landed on an island without any adults. Scared and confused, several young boys die because of reckless and rash decisions made by their peers. Fear and evil work hand and hand, complimenting each other. Fear leads and persuades the innocent to do evil, while evil stands drawing them in and corrupting them. Shakespeare, in Hamlet, shows the versatility of corruption and proves that no matter what age, class, or
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These stories represent the gullibility and ignorance of the innocent. As well as, demonstrate that no matter what the circumstances, innocence can always be corrupted. Both Shakespeare and Golding convey innocence and the corruption of innocence in their works, Hamlet and Lord of The Flies, and while the settings and characters differ, they both show similar techniques and themes in the process of corruption. There is always an initial provocation that distresses the innocent and puts a small crack in their foundation. This is when the innocent begin their path to corruption. Once there is a fault it must be sealed, otherwise it will become a massive fissure. Then foundation will collapse all at once, causing the innocent to abruptly plunge into a state of shock. This is what happened to Ophelia. Her original problem was just that she wasn 't allowed to talk to her boyfriend and everyone was telling her what to do, yet she ended up drowning herself. She had no one there to hold on to her because they were all too busy manipulating her. While Gertrude’s initial setback was the death of her husband. Due to her weak state she was easily taken advantage of by her brother-in-law. Soon she …show more content…
Both utilize the unstable foundation process of corruption. In Hamlet, the causes for Gertrude’s and Ophelia’s first cracks were the death of a loved one and neglection. In Lord of the Flies, the boys’ faulty foundation is cause by the plane crash and the absence of adult supervision. In both works, the innocent also die from tragic “accidents”. Ophelia’s death is symbolic of a the battle to stay innocent, when innocence can’t beat evil it gives up and let’s itself die.
“Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke;
When down her weedy trophies and herself
Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide;
And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up:
Which time she chanted snatches of old
These stories represent the gullibility and ignorance of the innocent. As well as, demonstrate that no matter what the circumstances, innocence can always be corrupted. Both Shakespeare and Golding convey innocence and the corruption of innocence in their works, Hamlet and Lord of The Flies, and while the settings and characters differ, they both show similar techniques and themes in the process of corruption. There is always an initial provocation that distresses the innocent and puts a small crack in their foundation. This is when the innocent begin their path to corruption. Once there is a fault it must be sealed, otherwise it will become a massive fissure. Then foundation will collapse all at once, causing the innocent to abruptly plunge into a state of shock. This is what happened to Ophelia. Her original problem was just that she wasn 't allowed to talk to her boyfriend and everyone was telling her what to do, yet she ended up drowning herself. She had no one there to hold on to her because they were all too busy manipulating her. While Gertrude’s initial setback was the death of her husband. Due to her weak state she was easily taken advantage of by her brother-in-law. Soon she …show more content…
Both utilize the unstable foundation process of corruption. In Hamlet, the causes for Gertrude’s and Ophelia’s first cracks were the death of a loved one and neglection. In Lord of the Flies, the boys’ faulty foundation is cause by the plane crash and the absence of adult supervision. In both works, the innocent also die from tragic “accidents”. Ophelia’s death is symbolic of a the battle to stay innocent, when innocence can’t beat evil it gives up and let’s itself die.
“Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke;
When down her weedy trophies and herself
Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide;
And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up:
Which time she chanted snatches of old