What Does The Serpent Symbolize In Hamlet

Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy about the hair to the throne of Denmark, Hamlet. Hamlet’s father is secretly murdered by his own brother; Hamlet discovers the circumstance of the murder when his father’s ghost relates the details of the murder. One evening, the ghost tells Hamlet, “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/ now wears his crown” (1.5.45-46). The ghost tells him that his uncle has killed his father and usurped the throne. The exchange is a vital component of the play. It is highly symbolic because of its imagery and it is essential to the plot of the play. The ghost’s comment is heavy with symbolism. The ghost begins by calling Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, a serpent. He chooses this description because it explains the method that Claudius uses to kill the King. The ghost tells Hamlet, “With juice of a cursed hebona in a vial/and in … my ears did pour/ the leprous distilment” (1.5.69-71). He chooses to kill the king by pouring poison into his ear, making it look like he was bitten by a snake. Additionally, a serpent is an animal that traditionally represents deceit. Claudius, like a serpent, is the encompassment of deceit. He secretly murders his brother, takes over the throne, and marries his brother’s widow, all while acting like a righteous king.

Before Hamlet speaks with the ghost, he has negative feelings toward his uncle. When with his uncle, he says to himself, “A little more than kin and less than kind” (1.2.67). He describes his uncle as someone who is more than just a family member, as they are related in two ways; he is both his stepfather and his uncle. His negative feelings are portrayed in the second part of his quip. He says that in spirit, they are related less than most family members. He despises his uncle for his questionable position, marrying his widowed mother and seizing the