How the Royal Court and Royal Family Were Ruined by Corruption in Shakespeare's Hamlet ¨Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.¨ A Quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet that perfectly describes the progressing change and unraveling of corruption in the play. A once respected and noble country ruled by a respected ruler known as King Hamlet is now flipped upside down and ruled by evil and greed under the murderous brother Claudius. After King Hamlet's demise, we begin in Denmark. The play's main protagonist, Hamlet, is depicted in Act 1, Scenes 1-4. He is a sour, angsty, and bitter character whose presence enables corruption to occur and play out, essentially destroying everything around him. Hamlet begins to harbor a great deal of resentment …show more content…
After the ghost and Hamlet come into contact, the spirit tells Hamlet the truth behind his suspicious death. Overcome by greed, Claudius wanted the throne for himself to sulk up the riches and treasures, which is what makes him act out on a plan to take over the throne by going into King Hamlet's quarters while he sleeps and then dripping poisonous fluid down his ear which then kills the king. After the Death of King Hamlet, Claudius then takes Hamlet's rightful spot on the throne and marries his brother's spouse Queen Gertrude. This information is critical to understanding how the events of greed and corruption came to be at the beginning of the story and how they unfold to affect the royal family and the royal court of Denmark. After hearing this information, Hamlet is distraught and panics; he recollects his thoughts, then decides to plan a way to avenge his father by pretending to be mad in front of the people around him, effectively fooling them. This act of madness effectively fools his peers and family and makes him suspicious and dangerous to Claudius, making Claudius act by corrupting the people under his rule and manipulating them to make Hamlet seem as if he’s out of control. Act 1 Scene 5 is an example of how the play shows the effect of greed and reveals the corruption of Claudius's