Corruption in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

by Vernon Elso Johnson (Editor)

Overview

When Hamlet's father, the King of Denmark, dies suddenly, the country is thrown into confusion with no clear leadership. After his father's ghost reveals that he was poisoned by Hamlet's mother and uncle, Hamlet must grapple with the dissolution of a world he once trusted. This book examines the topic of corruption in Shakespeare's Hamlet through a series of essays that touch upon topics such as the symbolic role of sickness and disease, parallels between the politics in the play and Elizabethan England, how Claudius created generational disorder, and the relationship between corruption and inequality. Promoting cross-curricular study, the text also invites readers to engage with contemporary perspectives on modern-day corruption.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780737748093
Publisher:	Greenhaven Publishing LLC
Publication date:	01/30/2010
Series:	Social Issues in Literature Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	15 - 17 Years

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chronology 12

Chapter 1 The Background of William Shakespeare

1 The Educated Man John F. Andrews 16

2 Religion, Grief, and Suicide Peter Holland 27

3 The Death of a Son and a Father G.B. Harrison 35

Chapter 2 The Issue of Corruption in Hamlet

1 Corruption in Denmark A.C. Bradley 43

2 Politics in Hamlet John Erskine Hankins 52

3 Sickness in Denmark Caroline F.E. Spurgeon 61

4 Claudius Turns the World Mad Andrew Gurr 68

5 Corruption Is a Progressive, Pervasive Disease Derek Antona Traversi 74

6 Hamlet Is Corrupt, Not Claudius G. Wilson Knight 82

7 The Corruption of Reason Juliet McLauchlan 90

8 Corruption's Effect on Love H.D.F Kitto 99

9 Corruption Destroys a Generation Margreta de Grazia 107

Chapter 3 Corruption in the Twenty-first Century

1 Corruption Creates Economic Inequality Daniel Brook 115

2 Corruption in a Global Corporate Empire Paul Kingsnorth 125

3 Corruption and the Pentagon Pratap Chatterjee 128

4 Torture and Espionage Democracy Now! 138

5 Exploiting Clients and Third World Countries Ron Scherer Brendan Conway 146

6 Justice Politicized David Iglesias Davin Seay 152

For Further Discussion 162

For Further Reading 163

Bibliography 164

Index 166

Editorial Reviews

Review: Corruption in William Shakespeare's Hamlet "This series focuses on how social issues have been presented in classic literature. These books provide a unique perspective to the United States' social issues both past and present."—ARBA, March 2009

From the Publisher