Hamlet: Claudius Quotes (Corruption & Manipulation)

Wants his state to move on from the death A1 S2 “we with wisest sorrow think on him / Together with remembrance of ourselves”
Fortinbras’ weak supposal of Denmark (implicit of the actual corruption) A1 S2 “Our state to be disjoint and out of frame”
Foreboding of the revelation of Claudius’ regicide by Hamlet A1 S2 “My father’s spirit – in arms – all is not well. I doubt some foul play.”
Physical imagery – state of the body politic (Marcellus A1 S4) “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”
Ghost’s description of what the regicide amounts to A1 S5 “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.”
Claudius admits his corruption that has given rise to the rotten state in A3S3 soliloquy “I am still possessed / Of those effects for which I did the murder, / My crown, mine own ambition, and my Queen”
Continued imagery from the “unweeded garden” of A1 S2 now mentioned in closet scene by Hamlet “do not spread the compost on the weeds / To make them ranker”
Claudius’ ethos – how he has been trying to cure the “rotten state” A4S3 (in the wake of polonius’ death) what becomes his downfall “Diseases desperate grown / By desperate appliance are relieved”
Ophelia’s mad words mock the disorder of the state by this stage A4 S5 “Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark?”
Claudius begins to realise his downfall, subtle foreboding of what is to come A4S5 “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, / But in battalions”
Claudius quickly calms Laertes’ rage, patronises and manipulates him A4 S5 “Why now you speak / Like a good child, and a true gentleman”
Dramatic irony in what he says to Laertes after Polonius’ death despite the fact we know he is guilty from the soliloquy “I am guiltless of your father’s death”
Claudius implies Hamlet’s deception has dwarfed his own, we know this is not true by how he is deceiving Laertes A4S5 I in forgery of shapes and tricks / Come short of what he did”
Claudius, royal we, in relation to Polonius’ death reminiscent of court speech – attempted solidarity, man of the people A4 S7 “I loved your father, and we love ourself”
Claudius reflects on how hard it was to calm Laertes and how his meddling is coming back to him A4 S7 “How much I had to do to calm his rage!”
Hamlet’s description of Claudius in the final scene “He that hath killed my king and whored my / mother”
Final words about Claudius from Hamlet “Thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane.” (Hamlet)
Laertes realises Claudius’ manipulation “The foul practice / Hath turned itself on me;…the King, the King’s to blame”(T/I)
July 30, 2019