Disease Imagery and Hamlet

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Disease Imagery and Hamlet

The Parasite

The Parasite

        

Imagery is used by writers to describe the setting of a piece of work.  Not only does this imagery give more description, but also gives a philosophical twist to the interpretation of the piece of work.  William Shakespeare uses imagery throughout his works, particularly in the play Hamlet.  In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare uses disease imagery to describe the leadership of Denmark, and how corruption has infected the kingdom.  Similarly, Shakespeare compares how an untreated infection can spread to the ones least expected to be infected.  

        Firstly, the corrupt nature of the authoritarian rule of Denmark is compared to the infestation of a parasite in a garden.  In the play Hamlet, Hamlet sees Claudius (the king) as the parasite, since he committed crimes such as murder to become king (i.e. Claudius poisoned his brother Hamlet Sr. who was the former king).  Hamlet feels as though Claudius is the weed of a garden, which needs to be removed.  Hamlet shows this when he says “ Tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed.  Things rank and gross in nature Posses it merely.” ( Hamlet, Shakespeare, 1992, 1.2, 139)  This remark shows how Shakespeare uses disease imagery to describe the unscrupulousness of the leadership of Denmark.  

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Secondly, in a number of his works, Shakespeare uses ghosts as a symbol of disease.  In the play Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet Sr. appears, which brings about worry in the kingdom.  This worry is shown when Marcellus says “ Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” (Hamlet, Shakespeare, 1992, 1.4, 100) after the ghost appears from the watch.  Furthermore, in the play Macbeth, the ghost of Banquo taunts Macbeth, which ultimately brings about fear in the audience.  In other words, the ghost is like a symptom from a disease, and if not detected ...

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