Hamlet

In the play “Hamlet,” Shakespeare creates a dysfunctional royal family. Throughout the play the reader sees multiple occurrences that a reader should see as neither normal nor good. In ‘Hamlet,’ Shakespeare creates a royal family full of corruption partnered with logical commoners in order to show that the royal family should be given less power.

The English monarchy that Shakespeare saw was corrupt, and the royalty in Hamlet knows the power of corruption. (Citation ) The incestuous relationship between Claudius and Gertrude shows the reader the family’s corruption. At this point in European history many believed the practice of marrying your deceased spouse’s sibling to be incestuous. This shows part of their corruption because not one person questions this marriage, but Hamlet. Throughout the play the reader sees how Hamlet truly views Ophelia as the love of his life, but also sees how Hamlet ends her life b driving her insane. This also shows corruption because Ophelia is used multiple times to send people messages or to spy on Hamlet. Her father uses her as a spy in act three scene one. In an attempt to show Claudius that Hamlet does not suffer from insanity, but as Polonius says he suffers from love sickness. Hamlet then uses Ophelia to send a message to Polonius. Hamlet berates Ophelia calling her “a breeder of maggots” (Citatoin). He is trying to tell Polonius that he sees what he is doing. Ophelia is also used by Polonius earlier in the play. In act one scene four, Polonius tells Ophelia to stop talking to Hamlet. Throughout, the reader should see Ophelia being used again and again; this leads to the corruption of her. Hamlet throughout the play is seen as a benevolent character sent out to seek revenge on his Uncle Claudius, but there is a major shift in his morals in act four scene seven. In this scene, Hamlet is corrupted; hamlet finds an order by Claudius for Hamlet to be killed on his voyage to England. At this point, Hamlet knows that Rosencrantz...