| THESIS: causation of Denmark’s demolition (decay + death)? | Unnatural deed, treacherous act of fratricidal regicide, caused ‘unnatural troubles’, plagued Denmark (motif of disease) |
| Context… | Divine Right of Kings in Jacobean era, high treason, punishable by death (capital punishment) |
| Claudius’ act causes withering and decay of Denmark quote Act 3 scene 3 | ‘My offence is rank it smells to heaven!’, creates primal curse on Denmark, taint of it reaches heaven, this offence intoxicates Hamlet’s psyche |
| CRIT: | He has ‘wise action’, ‘faults are forced upon him’ NO, acknowledges destruction, not repentant, ‘”Forgive me father: that cannot be”‘, obsessed with power, vaulting ambition |
| CRIT: | T S Elliot |
| 2. Hamlet’s mental decay, madness and self-loathing quote | ‘foul and pestilent congregation of vapours’, air he breathes is infected as immersed in Claudius’ crime, governs his mind, plagues him, caused self-loathing ‘O that this too too sullied flesh would melt’, wishes for physical extinction upon himself |
| PERFORMANCE: Paapa, Simon Godwin’s 2016 performance | cries, gains audience’s sympathy, simultaneously increase hatred for the machiaveillan |
| CRIT: Romantic critic Coleridge… | ‘Dies a victim of mere circumstance’, of being plagued by Claudius’ unnatural act |
| Turner’s 2014 National Theatre production of physical decay (decomposition) shown on stage, rubble and dirt forebodes… | The imploding physical break down/decay of the monarchy, which represent Hamlet, builds tension |
| 3. DEATH: supernatural embodies decomposition of Denmark, intolerant to the rule of Claudius | Guard in Act 1, after seeing ghost, ‘there is something rotten in this state of Denmark’, |
| Ghost crit: Jameson 1577 | Renaissance, ‘feared high treason very superstitious, deterred by gruesome nature of ghost |
Hamlet: Death and Decay
November 26, 2019