In Hamlet, imagery of disease, poison and decay, are used by William Shakespeare for many purposes.
Marcellus' line in Act I illustrates the use of this imagery very well, "Something is rotten in the
state of Denmark." Corruption is rampant, like a contagious disease infecting the court. The atmos
phere of disease serves to heighten the audience's disgust for the events that are taking place in t
he play. Secondly, disease leads to death, so the diseased society of Denmark is doomed. Because o
f this sense of doom, there is a slight foreshadowing of the play's tragic ending. The tragic atmos
phere is enhanced by the motif of disease and decay. These descriptions of disease, poison, and deca
y help us to understand the bitter relationships, the anxious, chaotic atmosphere, and also the emot
ional and moral decay of the characters existing in the play. The image of decay is first used at th
e end of Act I to help comprehend the depression Hamlet feels in his first soliloquy about suicide.
When Hamlet releases the words "O that this too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself i
nto a dew," (I.ii, 129-130) he communicates how he wishes to not exist in this world anymore. An ima
ge of Hamlet's flesh rotting and combining with the soil is produced. At this moment, Hamlet's true
emotions liberate, and his pain and his yearn for death can be felt. Hamlet continues to say "How we
ary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on't, ah, fie, 'tis an
unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely."(I.ii, 133-1
37) Here, Hamlet feels that the world around him is useless and in constant chaos. By creating these
vivid images of death and decay, Shakespeare lets us peer into Hamlet's soul and recognize his real
underlying motivations. Claudius' relationship with Hamlet is harsh, for he harbors a great hatred
for his nephew and even feels threatened and at risk when he is by Hamlet. Claudius says "But like t
he owner of a foul disease. To keep it from divulging, let it feed even on the pith of life."(IV.i,
21-23) Claudius speaks these lines when he is with the queen after the death of Polonius. The King s
ays that he is the owner of a foul disease- Hamlet. The degree to which he despises Hamlet and his g
oal to prevent him from ruining this new life of his is unveiled. This shows us how endless Claudius
' hatred is towards Hamlet. Claudius' extreme anger and frustration is displayed when he says, "For
like the hectic in my blood he rages, And though must cure me."(IV.iii, 62-63) Claudius describes Ha
mlet as a vicious disease traveling through his own blood. Hamlet is trapped so deep in the midst of
Claudius' utter hatred of him, that Claudius wants Hamlet dead. Only when Hamlet is gone, Claudius
can be cured from this ghastly disease that he suffers. The images of disease express the genuine fe
elings felt by Claudius. Imagery highlights the poor, horrid relationship that exists between father
and stepson, uncle and nephew, king and heir. Shakespeare illuminates Claudius' true sentiment with
these images of disease. Hamlet gravely carries a reciprocal hatred for his uncle who has now becom
e even more connected to him as his step-father and who has also risen in rank to serve as the power
ful king of England. Hamlet's knowledge of Claudius killing his father stems his hatred, therefore H
amlet can not feel anything but disgust and loathing for him. "Not where he eats, but where 'a is ea
ten. A certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet
. We fat all creature else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots."(IV.iii; 19-22) Claudius has
just asked Hamlet where Polonius is, and Hamlet replies ever so mockingly by saying he is at dinner
. Hamlet killed Polonius and hates Claudius so much that he can even speak of the death of the King'
s friend with such vulgarity. By saying "A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and
eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm,"(IV. iii, 25-26) Hamlet again proves his hatred towards
the King. Through his blatant rudeness, Hamlet surprises the King with the fact that even Kings can
decay and be eaten. Hamlet's smart and sneaky comments have underlying meanings that reveal to us hi
s deep, eternal hatred for the king. The images of decay and rotting expose us to Hamlet's true feel
ings for the King. The morality of several characters also decay. For example, Gertrude knowingly c
ommits adultery by marrying her husband's brother only months after his death. Only after Hamlet's
exchange with her in Act III does she appear to feel guilt or remorse for what she has done. Gertrud
e may be an obviously morally corrupt character, but the center of the play's evil plots and true de
cadence resides in Claudius. Claudius' list of sins include the murder of his brother and usurp of h
is kingdom then marriage of his sister-in-law. In Act III he openly admits his guilt and tries to
pray for forgiveness but is unable to put his heart into it, showing that he does not truly repent h
is sins. In addition, Claudius is also a manipulator and a hypocrite. This is revealed in Act IV wh
en Laertes comes to Claudius demanding revenge, and the king builds up Laertes' rage and directs it
towards Hamlet. He plans various conniving schemes such as sending Hamlet to England to unknowingly
be executed. When this plot fails, he stoops down even lower as to try to poison him. But Hamlet ca
n be said to deserve some of these instances as punishments, though for Hamlet's moral character als
o changes completely through the course of the play. Initially, Hamlet was extremely cautious; he w
as not sure of the true nature and goodness of the ghost and even doubted if Claudius had actually m
urdered his father, hence his decision to not act until he was sure, as shown by his "Rogue and Peas
ant Slave" soliloquy at the end of Act II. Likewise, at the end of Act III he again puts off killin
g Claudius because he does not want his father's murderer to go to heaven, which would occur if he d
ied while praying. Furthermore, Hamlet was once very conscientious, but in Act IV he suddenly stabs
Polonius through the drapery, thinking it is Claudius, and from that point his ethics and morality
falls rapidly downhill. Finally, he ruthlessly sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, his old friends
and confidants, to their deaths simply for serving the king and also to save himself. His "How all
occasions inform against me" soliloquy in Act IV demonstrates how his priorities have changed too, a
nd he will finally attempt to act in order for revenge and also to preserve his honor. Hamlet speak
s of Fortinbras' bravery and his own cowardice and concludes, "O, from this time forth, my thoughts
be bloody, or be nothing worth!" (IV,iv,65-66) This Hamlet of bloody thoughts and revenge is totall
y different from the previous Hamlet who once had to be sure that Claudius was guilty beyond a reaso
nable doubt before his slaughter. In this play moral principles within numerous characters experien
ce a substantial decay. It is evident that Shakespeare uses the imagery of poison, decay and disease
to develop and enhance the various conflicts surrounding the play and also the heavy, disarrayed at
mosphere hovering over it. In Hamlet we truly see what a great deal of depth imagery provides us wit
h. The imagery of disease, poison and decay gives us a chance to truly understand the complicated em
otions that the characters experience in their mind and soul. The reader perceives the pervasive cha
otic mood, helping them to better understand all aspects of this classic work. Also, with the imager
y created by Shakespeare, we as readers, can actually comprehend the feelings that are experienced b
y the characters in Hamlet, that are not always obvious, but remain definitely very important to sec
ure optimum understanding of a great piece of literature. hamlet imagery disease poison decay used w
illiam shakespeare many purposes marcellus line illustrates this imagery very well something rotten
state denmark corruption rampant like contagious disease infecting court atmosphere disease serves h
eighten audience disgust events that taking place play secondly leads death diseased society denmark
doomed because this sense doom there slight foreshadowing play tragic ending tragic atmosphere enha
nced motif decay these descriptions poison decay help understand bitter relationships anxious chaoti
c atmosphere also emotional moral characters existing play image first used help comprehend depressi
on hamlet feels first soliloquy about suicide when hamlet releases words that this sullied flesh wou
ld melt thaw resolve itself into communicates wishes exist world anymore image flesh rotting combini
ng with soil produced moment true emotions liberate pain yearn death felt continues weary stale flat
unprofitable seem uses world unweeded garden that grows seed things rank gross nature possess merel
y here feels world around useless constant chaos creating these vivid images death shakespeare lets
peer into soul recognize real underlying motivations claudius relationship with harsh harbors great
hatred nephew even feels threatened risk when claudius says like owner foul keep from divulging feed
even pith life claudius speaks these lines when with queen after polonius king says owner foul degr
ee which despises goal prevent from ruining life unveiled shows endless hatred towards extreme anger
frustration displayed says like hectic blood rages though must cure describes vicious traveling thr
ough blood trapped deep midst utter hatred wants dead only gone cured from ghastly suffers images ex
press genuine feelings felt imagery highlights poor horrid relationship exists between father stepso
n uncle nephew king heir shakespeare illuminates true sentiment images gravely carries reciprocal un
cle become even more connected step father also risen rank serve powerful king england knowledge kil
ling father stems therefore feel anything disgust loathing where eats where eaten certain convocatio
n politic worms your worm your only emperor diet creature else ourselves maggots just asked where po
lonius replies ever mockingly saying dinner killed polonius hates much speak friend such vulgarity s
aying fish worm hath fish hath worm again proves towards through blatant rudeness surprises fact kin
gs eaten smart sneaky comments have underlying meanings reveal deep eternal rotting expose true feel
ings morality several characters also example gertrude knowingly commits adultery marrying husband b
rother only months after after exchange does appear feel guilt remorse what done gertrude obviously
morally corrupt character center evil plots decadence resides list sins include murder brother usurp
kingdom then marriage sister openly admits guilt tries pray forgiveness unable heart into showing d
oes truly repent sins addition manipulator hypocrite revealed laertes comes demanding revenge builds
laertes rage directs towards plans various conniving schemes such sending england unknowingly execu
ted plot fails stoops down lower poison said deserve some instances punishments though moral charact
er changes completely through course initially extremely cautious sure nature goodness ghost doubted
actually murdered hence decision until sure shown rogue peasant slave soliloquy likewise again puts
killing because does want murderer heaven which would occur died while praying furthermore once ver
y conscientious suddenly stabs drapery thinking point ethics morality falls rapidly downhill finally
ruthlessly sends rosencrantz guildenstern friends confidants their deaths simply serving save himse
lf occasions inform against soliloquy demonstrates priorities have changed will finally attempt orde
r revenge preserve honor speaks fortinbras bravery cowardice concludes time forth thoughts bloody no
thing worth bloody thoughts revenge totally different previous once sure guilty beyond reasonable do
ubt before slaughter moral principles within numerous characters experience substantial evident uses
develop enhance various conflicts surrounding heavy disarrayed hovering over truly what great deal
depth provides gives chance truly understand complicated emotions experience their mind soul reader
perceives pervasive chaotic mood helping them better understand aspects classic work created readers
actually comprehend feelings experienced always obvious remain definitely very important secure opt
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