The Death of King Hamlet
(Week 9)
King Hamlet (not to be confused with Prince Hamlet, his son) died before the play opens, and it is around his death that the play revolves. How did he die? Well, most everyone in Denmark thought that while sleeping in his orchard, the king was bitten by a serpent. But as it turns out, the whole thing is actually a giant government cover-up (the last thing I'd expect to find in a Shakespeare play)! In the words of the murder victim himself, "The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown." That's right, it was Claudius! "...Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, And in the porches of my ears did pour The leperous distilment...". Why is this significant? Let's start with the entry of the deadly substance into the body. It is poured in the ear, a comparison to tempting words, a prime tool in Claudius' arsenal. Claudius used his tempting words in a variety of ways, but most notably to seduce Gertrude. This is a powerful analogy, not just because of the entry point, but also because tempting words can be just as deadly as a potent poison, working to kill a victim from the inside out.
-McKinley :D
I liked it but at times it was a little hard to understand
ReplyDeleteE;-)