The Limit as Rot Approaches Infinity To be or not to be: that is the question (3.1.

56) is possibly the most famous rhetorical question in the world. It has been pondered by many bright minds, stripped to its basic structure and yet it eludes a definitive answer. Part of that elusiveness lies in the multitude of motifs/ image patterns that represent the question throughout the course of the play. Out of he many motifs, the one that seems to add the most to the elusiveness to the answer is the motif of poison/decay/rot/disease (rot). Developed by the dialogue and its use of figurative language, rot performs three major functions in the play. Firstly, the motif is used to set the overall tone and atmosphere throughout the play. Secondly, the motif acts as the keystone for other motifs as well as themes. Thirdly, its constituents are the root of Hamlets death. Therefore, in Shakespeares Hamlet the motif of poison/decay/rot/disease (rot) provides overall tone, acts as a keystone for other motifs and themes, and cause Hamlets premature demise. There is an abundance of rot descriptions throughout Hamlet. This excessive use highlights a major function of the motif, namely to produce the tone of the play. The tone of a play is its mood, atmosphere, and attitude towards its content. The tone of Hamlet is introspective, dark, and macabre. It is emphasized by the use of the rot motif in many different situations. One instance would be in the description of heavenly bodies; Horatio exclaims that the moon "Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse, (1.1.120) and, Hamlet says that the moon is "thought-sick" (3.4.51) at his mother's sin. The use of the motif while referring to the moon is an intricate way to emphasize the importance of the motif as the moon is symbolic of death itself. Therefore, Shakespeare conveys to the reader a strong sense of fatality through the doubly strong rot image pattern, which helps to maintain the grim tone of the play. Other ideas such as wealth and peace are also connected with rot imagery; Hamlet in

Act Four exclaims that, "the imposthume of much wealth and peaceshows...Why [sic] the man dies." (4.4.26-28).The use of the motif underscores the decaying nature of wealth and sustains the introspective component of the tone. It is able to achieve the sustainability because the image pattern, rot, is introduced during one of Hamlets more meditative moments (when he is contemplating whether Fortinbras armed march towards Denmark) and because the statement compels the reader to make inferences to how wealth, and by association power, has putrefied the Claudius nature. Furthermore, rot is used to uphold the morbid component of the tone. Old Hamlets ghost uses words and phrases associated with rot to describe his poisoning and death, expressions like leperous distilment (1.5.64), and, Most lazarlike with vile and loathsome crust (1.5.72). The use of rot imagery by the ghost to describe his poisoning is once again very effective because it is also a double-knotted reference; the poisoning itself is an example of rot. Such reinforced examples used throughout the play radiate an aura of decay and death due to the reference to both the poisoning and leprosy and thus emphasize the grim nature of the play. Thus, one sees that throughout the play Shakespeare effectively weaves in strong examples of the rot image pattern. These examples describe a variety of tangible objects and intangible ideas, which the reader then relates to the image pattern. The image pattern, developed by the use of symbolism, and word choice in the dialogue, commences and perpetuates an introspective, macabre, and dark tone by the constant referral to poison, decay, rot, and disease. Therefore, the rot image pattern successfully completes the first third of the thesis by setting the tone of Hamlet. The rot image pattern also acts as the cornerstone for other motifs and themes in Hamlet. One of the many themes in Hamlet is the theme of madness. Madness is best personified by Hamlet himself who starts to act with an antic disposition (1.5.172). The rot image pattern is fundamental to madness because

madness itself is a constituent of rot spotlighting the components of rot and decay. Hamlets madness is well staged, so much so that Polonius believes that Hamlet is, far gone, far gone [from sanity] (2.2.190-191). This example of madness represents rot since it portrays the supposed decay of Hamlets mind by a disease (his madness). Further on, when Claudius asks Gertrude about Hamlet, she exclaims the he is as, Mad as the sea and the windin his lawless fit/ And, in his brainish apprehension, kills the unseen good old man (4.1.6-11). This irrevocably links madness with rot because it is the rotting of Hamlets mind, which leads to murder, highlighting integral components of rot (rot and death). This inclusion of rot in the theme allows the theme to develop through the exploration of the rot image pattern to portray the overall effects of Hamlets scheme. Thus, we can see that the rot image pattern acts as the cornerstone for the theme of madness by providing the basis for the theme to develop. Rot is also a fundamental part of the motif of the physical manifestation of death. That motif is best represented in the graveyard when Hamlet, holding Yorricks skull, contemplates, To what base uses we may return (5.1.223). Herein, one can infer that Hamlet is not merely commenting Yorricks decay from a sprightly jester to a ghastly skeleton, rather he is implicitly commenting on the rot motif. He is commenting on the motif because Hamlet is examining the reasons and effects of death, which in Hamlet, could be poison, decay, rot, and disease. Even the literal meaning of Hamlets contemplations reflects on the rot image pattern since it concerns the natural decay of the human body. The motif of rot is a fundamental part of the motif of the physical manifestation of death (namely Yorricks skull) because it complements the latter motif and together they fully explicate the true meaning of Hamlets contemplation, both implicit and explicit. Therefore, Shakespeare is able to place the rot image pattern in a position from which the image pattern becomes complementary to other significant notions in the story. The

rot image pattern forms the keystone of other ideas in Hamlet by facilitating their development and augmenting their connotation. Thus, the rot image pattern successfully completes the second third of the image pattern by being fundamental to other key ideas. The rot motif in Hamlet causes Hamlet to decay morally and mentally throughout the course of the play ultimately culminating in his demise. The rot image pattern starts out by providing the reason for Hamlets descent into madness; the murder of his father through poison and the rotten nature of the bond between his mother and his uncle. Although the guise of madness is initially assumed to lead Claudius and others into a false confidence, Hamlet truly becomes mad; he himself says, "My wit's diseased." (3.2.333-334). When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to find Polonius body, Hamlet confuses them, and the reader, with aggravating riddles like, "The body is with the King, but the King/ is not with the body" (4.2.29-30). He ends the scene with, "Hide/ fox, and all after," (4.2.32-33) as if the situation were merely a game. These intercourses are important because they reflect the growing madness of Hamlet through the use the rot motif. In the first example the disease and rot components of the motif are referred to; they provide the reader with an explication as to why Hamlets madness occurs. In essence, the rot motif explains Hamlets madness by describing it as disease that degrades. In the second and third examples, the mental decay within Hamlet is the most prevalent. In them, the rot image pattern is used to emphasize the decay of Hamlets mental frame. Thus one sees that rot motif effectively describes Hamlets mental decay. It also describes Hamlets moral decay. Initially, Hamlet was extremely guarded; he is not sure about the ghosts intentions or Claudius actions, so he does not act until he assures himself of the conscience of the king (2.2.634). Likewise, at the end of Act Three he again puts off killing Claudius because if Claudius dies while praying he will to go to heaven. However, in Act Four

Hamlets morality decays and dies, and he unthinkingly stabs Polonius through the drapery. His moral corruption then causes the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for serving the king. In Act Four he demonstrates how his moral standards have changed. Hamlet speaks of his own perceived cowardice and vows, "O, from this time forth, / My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" (4.5.66).The rot motif performs two important functions in these examples; first, it emphasizes his moral corruption through the senseless deaths of Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Secondly, it foreshadows Hamlets own demise due to his decay in moral character and mental judgement (evidenced by his vow), which causes him to take illogical steps such as insulting Laertes during Ophelias funeral. Thus, Shakespeare uses the rot image pattern to highlight and foreshadow Hamlets descent into madness and his death respectively. Therefore, the rot image pattern successfully completes the final third of the thesis by being the cause of Hamlets demise. In Hamlet, the motif of poison/decay/rot/disease (rot) perpetuates and strengthens the tone of the play, is fundamental to the development and explication of other motifs and themes, and foreshadows itself as Hamlets premature demise. Shakespeare's skill in weaving this motif into the play is evidence of his genius as a playwright and quality of his writings. To be or not to be; that is the question (3.1.56).In the end one realizes that the very motifs that make it elusive also provide us with its answer. The answer does not exist because as rot has displayed eventually we all end like, Imperious Caesar, dead and turnd to clay (5.1.237).

By: Rachit Sabharwal