What Does Poison Symbolize In Hamlet

In many literary works, Symbolism is used to reveal themes and messaged. Shakespeare's Hamlet is not an exception to this, as we see many themes and messages revealed through various symbols in the play. Most of the symbols in the play, such as poison and the skull of Yorick, seem to be intentionally placed; although, others, like Ophelia's flowers and the ghost of King Hamlet in armor, are inferred by the reader. A major symbol in Hamlet is poison. The symbol is widely used throughout the play, as many people are killed with it. The beginning of murder by poison is begins with the ghost of King Hamlet in Act I, Scene IV saying that, "Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,/ With juice of a cursed hebenon in a vial,/ An in the porches of my ear did pour/ The leperous distilment" (1.5.61-64). The end of murder by poison is the death of Laertes in Act V, Scene 2, when Hamlet uses his own poisoned sword

During her madness in Act IV, scene V, Ophelia enters singing, "There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you/ and here's some for me. We may call it herb of grace o' Sundays" (4.5.3056-57). Fennel and rue, among others not listed, are known to be contraceptives and abortifacients. The revealing of this symbol reveals, to many readers, the message of sexuality and unwanted pregnancy (Painter). While this message may not be intended by Shakespeare, he seems to intentionally leave it up for interpretation. The flowers Ophelia gives to each person are different and can easily have different meanings, which not only does Shakespeare not seem to touch upon, but readers are not as intrigued by those as they are the fennel and rue. The message portrayed by these two flowers may be that Hamlet and Ophelia were sexually active and unexpectedly got pregnant, thus using fennel and rue as an abortifacient, or that they were simply sexually active and used the flowers as