Moral Decay Disease

Moral Decay

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." Corruption, deterioration, moral decay is all examples of the theme Shakespeare portrays in his play, Hamlet. The morality level of the play gradually declines as the intense tragic story continues. Throughout the play, Hamlet the main character shows a drastic change in his moral character. Initially he was cautious, not sure of what was happening in his tragic life. As truth is revealed his level of morality decays and the characters morality becomes diseased. This is the result of his motivation to restore moral order. "Oh cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right." He knows everyone other than himself doesn't understand the tragedy that has taken place in the state of Denmark. He sets off to restore order but in the process his morality also becomes corrupt like everyone else.

Gertrude, queen of Denmark, has faced a terrible point in her life when her husband is killed. Her vulnerability makes her more susceptible to change her views of the world and with haste her moral values decease. Against her wedding vows, she marries the Kings brother Claudius to keep herself from going insane. But by resisting her true inner feelings her insanity will only become worse. Marrying her husband's murderer to only find the truth of his death enhances her insanity causing her suicide. And in the process, becomes less motherly to her own son and diminishing the nurture Hamlet needs to stabilize and maintain his own morals. The only thing left for Hamlet to do is to take apprehensive action and revenge his father's death!

Tragedy has taken turn. Denmark is corrupted by an unworthy king. Claudius, king of Denmark, driven by power and greed murdered Hamlets father. He was killed by poison that Claudius made with premeditated alchemy. As his brother, he took the throne from his family and then weds his sister in law. To take a woman from your own brother after his death is the most foul diseased of morals one can have, at least in my opinion. With the drive for power, Claudius will do anything for such an evil and pointless gain. Obtaining such a false power by killing the king and taking the throne is only going to give him a false life! Claudius describes a real manipulator. His role is based on manipulating and he becomes the definition of a hypocrite. Hamlet soon finds out his manipulation through the ghosts wise words, knowing to end a manipulative being Hamlet becomes the ultimate manipulator. This is where Hamlet enters the vicious cycle of moral decay when his fire grows for vengeance.

Hamlet, the portrayed light to moral decay, attempts to restore moral order additionally deteriorates morality in the process. At first he was very cautious and observing his awareness to all the tragedy that just so happened in his life. The time his fathers