Corruption In Hamlet Essay

In the play 'Hamlet ', corruption is conveyed within many of the key characters; Prince Hamlet is not corrupt, but merely fools the people around him into believing that he is, in order to help him carry out his orders. Prince Hamlet learns at the beginning of the play of his father 's murder. He then is ordered by his father ghost to seek revenge on his father 's murderer, Claudius. It is the flaws within the state of Denmark, which have led to the previous kings murder. Hamlet persuades the new king, Claudius, into believing that he is a madman, convincing the people around him as well, in order to take revenge.

Prince Hamlet is portrayed as a madman throughout the play, however Prince Hamlet only pretends to be mad. Within the first scene of the play, Hamlet encounters his father 's ghost. This is not a symbol of his madness, as the ghost is also scene by Horatio, Barnardo and Marcellus. It is shortly after this incident when Hamlet warns his friends that he might pretend to be mad "To put on an antic position" in order to carry out his fathers ghosts orders. Soon after this we hear King Claudius "nor th 'exterior nor the inward man" which makes us assume
The first sign of corruption within the other characters of the play is in Polonius. Polonius hires a man to spy on his son Laertes, as he has no trust in his son living in Paris. Later in this Act Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet is under pressure and is possibly mad as "He took me by the wrist and held me hard". Polonius then later says that Hamlet "is mad" when really Polonius is corrupt himself. Hamlet says "O what a rogue and peasant slave". He is saying that he wishes to act as the revenger hero but cannot summon the necessary qualities to act. This shows that Hamlet is not mad, but a good human being as he says that it is not in his nature to