Something Is Rotten In Denmark

2 Pages 479 Words

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet the story takes place in the country of Denmark. With the events going on in the country it’s not surprising that “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (I, iv, 90). There are many things rotten in Denmark, these include; invasion, death, and treachery.

In Hamlet, The Norwegian army, led by Fortinbras, wants to invade Denmark. This is because of the acts of the old King Hamlet towards old Fortinbras. King Hamlet had slain old Fortinbras in battle and now the young prince Fortinbras is seeking revenge. Fortinbras ends up invading Denmark when everyone had died, and declared himself king. “Such a sight as this / Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss” (V, ii, 406-407). This was said by Fortinbras after he became the king; it shows the state which Denmark was in at the time. It shows that after all was said and done the palace had been transformed into a battlefield and that there was something truly rotten about it. But Invasion isn’t the only thing rotten in Denmark.

Hamlet is a play full of death. All but two of the main characters, Horatio and Fortinbras die. It all starts when Claudius uses ear poison to kill the King Hamlet. This causes young Prince Hamlet To exact revenge on him. Whilst exacting this revenge he kills Polonius, while he was hiding in a curtain, mistaking him for Claudius. This act causes Laertes to seek revenge on Hamlet for this, as well as for the apparent suicide of his sister, and Hamlet’s lover, Orphelia. Laertes plots with Claudius for killing off Hamlet, but the plan backfires when the Queen drinks from a poison glass which was meant for Hamlet. Laertes and Hamlet continue fencing and are both injured by a poisoned sword. Before Hamlet dies however he manages to kill King Claudius. All this twisted death and murder shows how rotten the state of Denmark is in.

The most rotten thing in Denmark is treachery. At first Claudius kills King Hamlet, to ...