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- Symbol- poison, it represents the betrayal of family only to get power in government
- Dramatic Element- Soliloquies, through this, Hamlet reveals the corruption of Claudius and how deceiving the kingdom can be, it is also used to show the inner turmoil that Hamlet goes through since his father was murdered unjustly
-Theme: Selfishness can result in corruption, Claudius' thirst for power led him to kill his brother to become King of Denmark,  his morality was turned rotten
- This motif can lead to the question of: Can guilt stop corrupt people?

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- During the 16th century corruption was present in the Catholic Church
- This motif begins with greed, and clergy members were not only greedy, but they further separated their lives from peasants
-  England, during the Renaissance still held onto the belief that order depends on a hierarchical society with a leader
- Shakespeare instills in his plays the idea of too much power leading to corruption and the rotting of a country- especially since England at the time was going through a huge reform of religions

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"Corruption, Causes and Consequences" by Štefan Šumah outlines how corruption impacts civilization.
- The author points out that corruption, in legal terms, is the abuse of a trusted position that is not legally justified
- Trust in government will decrease as people in government strive for power
- Corruption is a great sin in the Bible, “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twist the words of the innocent.” It is considered an evil
- Corruption was condemned by the early Christian faith until it reached its peak in the Middle Ages
- Claudius sparks corruption in Denmark- it led to moral degradation

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Rotting-
.decay or cause to decay by the action of bacteria and fungi; decompose.

.gradually deteriorate through lack of attention or opportunity.
- Denmark is presented as rotting through details of poison, ill health, decaying settings, and death

Corruption-
.dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.

.the process by which something, typically a word or expression, is changed from its original use or meaning to one that is regarded as erroneous or debased.
- In Hamlet, characters like Polonious and Claudius are deeply corrupt due to greed, want for power, and nastiness
- This motif can connect to Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, since Caesar was murdered due to becoming too powerful- People in the Senate (like Cassius, for example) were ultimately corrupt since they were jealous and feared Caesar's power

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"Tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature Posses it merely. That it should come to this!"- Hamlet (Act 1.Scene 2. Lines 139-141)
-Hamlet could see the kingdom decaying before his eyes. Claudius's corruption has caused him to neglect and mistreat his "garden" causing weeds to grow freely. Denmark is a garden that is rotting due to being "tended" by a man who is rank and gross.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."-Marcellus (Act 1.Scene 4.Line 90)
-This quote foreshadows what is going on in the play as a whole and shows the theme of rotting/corruption. It implies that the events that took place and will take place later is connected to, and affecting Denmark for the worse. Claudius killing Hamlet's Father and stealing the throne was an evil and corrupt thing to do, and as Denmark's new king his corrupt nature will spread through the kingdom.

"O! My offense is rank, it smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upon't, A brother's murder. Pray can I not, Through inclination be as sharp as will; My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,"- Claudius (Act 3.Scene 3. Lines 36-40)
-This quote is evidence of how corrupt Claudius really is, the audience now knows for a fact that he did in-fact kill his brother to take the throne and his wife. He only prays to god for forgiveness but not sincerely which also shows the further spread of corruption through Denmark's society.