Death, Sickness and Decay pervades the text, Hamlet
Suicide
The Gravedigger Scene
The Murders
Imagery of Disease
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Imagery of physical corruption V moral corruption
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Denmark portrayed as a diseased, corrupt place.
Gertrude and Claudius' 'incestuous' relationship
Hamlet's Antic Disposition
Leads to death - dragging Polonius out of the room.
Hamlet's discussion with Claudius about Polonius' death and how the body of a king may be eaten by a worm underscores the moral decay at the heart of the play. Hamlet's antic disposition allows him to be honest about thsi moral decay.
Hamlet's mind seems corrupted, in actual fact it is Denmark that is corrupted. Hamlet uses his Antic Disposition as a Defence Mechanism
Meeting the skull of his Father's Jester Osric who he had known as a child. Literally comes face to face with a child.
Entire scene means Hamlet comes face to face with the reality of death.
Hamlet comes face to face with his murderers - Claudius and Laertes
Attitude towards incest at the time?
portrayed as a rotting, decaying garden by Hamlet
Knowledge that Ophelia was buried in a graveyard because she is of noble birth, lowly folk could not expect same treatment.
Rumours around Ophelia's death - gravediggers version of events V Gertrude's version of events.
Body of his former lover? funeral procession
Evil/murder breeds more murder?
Claudius' ease at killing Old Hamlet? His lack of concern for Polonius. Ability to use Laertes as a pawn for his own benefit?
Hamlet - Takes him so long to commit any murder, when does so, it is the wrong person? THEN, he's on a roll?
Does his Antic Disposition ACTUALLY make him unwell
Moral Corruption - Claudius - Polonius - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
It all feeds down from the top of the hierarchy to the bottom?