Corruption Flashcards
(5 cards)
1
Q
Key ideas of corruption
A
Decay, moral corruption, political instability.
2
Q
Key quotes of corruption
A
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” (Marcellus, 1.4)
“An unweeded garden that grows to seed.” (Hamlet, 1.2)
“O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven.” (Claudius, 3.3)
3
Q
Characters linked to corruption
A
Claudius: Embodiment of political corruption—kills his brother to gain the throne.
Polonius: Manipulates Ophelia and spies on Hamlet.
4
Q
Context of corruption
A
Shakespeare reflected concerns about court politics (eg. James I’s paranoia about regicide).
Machiavellianism – Claudius as a Machiavellian figure.
5
Q
Interpretation of corruption
A
Critics often see Claudius as a symbol of a corrupt court masking itself with ceremony.
