In Hamlet, Claudius has disrupted the Greater Chain of Being and subsequently, King Hamlet's Ghost has corrupted Hamlet's Renaissance mindset and morals in demanding he avenge his father's death. In accordance to Denmark's laws of succession, Claudius seeks after Gertrude due to her royal blood, corrupting her into a hasty marriage, thereby also corrupting the state. ... The murder of Old King Hamlet has caused Claudius' mindset to become corrupted in order to control Denmark for himself. ... At the beginning of the play, Claudius is appearing to be a good king in ord...

• Word Count: 1108
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate