CORRUPTION REVENGE Polonius Laertes Ophelia What is Polonius

CORRUPTION & REVENGE

Polonius, Laertes, Ophelia

What is Polonius afraid of regarding Laertes?

What is Polonius afraid of regarding Ophelia?

Who or what might corrupt Polonius’s children?

Corruption in Denmark � � � Where do we see elements of corruption on a private and public level in Denmark? Hamlet’s first soliloquy Fie on’t, ah fie, ‘tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. (1. 2. 135138)

The Ghost (1. 4 -5) Where do we see elements of corruption in these two scenes? Ghost: “I am. . . Doom’d for a certain time to walk the night. . . Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature / Are burnt and purg’d away” (1. 5. 9 -13)

Rotten/Corrupt/Garden Imagery �Marcellus: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (1. 4. 90)

The Murder �POISON used by Claudius �The murder is both a REGICIDE and a FRATRICIDE.

Close Reading �The Ghost’s use of vivid, angry diction and repetition underscores the urgent need to “clean up” the mess in Denmark, to remove the corruption (a PUBLIC revenge? ) �Ghost: “foul” used 3 x, “unnatural” used 2 x, “strange” used once (p. 30)

Revenge Tragedy � � � � � Three roles: VICTIM, VILLAIN, AVENGER Crime has already been committed prior to the start of the play No recourse to a higher authority Avenger must overcome obstacles Avenger must seek an appropriate revenge Concludes with a successful carrying out of mission Most popular genre of Shakespeare’s time (and perhaps, today? ) Derives from Greeks/Romans (Aeschylus, Seneca) The Spanish Tragedy, The Revenger’s Tragedy…

WRAP UP � Would Hamlet’s revenge be a PUBLIC or a PRIVATE one? � What motivates his father’s demand—or Hamlet’s desire— for revenge?

EXIT PASS � What, in your opinion, is the exact cause of the “rotten-ness” in Denmark? Cite one or two words as textual support.