Hamlet Themes - Justice

This extract featues a line of thought common in the plays of Shakespeare - how earthly justice can be corrupted - through bribery and abuse of power: "In the corrupted currents of this world/Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice". This is cntrasted with heavenly justice, which can't be abused: "above/There is no shuffling; there the action lies/In his true nature". We have no option but to be honest, even about our faults: "we ourselves compell'd ... To give in evidence".

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