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Quotation from Hamlet by William Shakespeare

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”

William Shakespeare (spoken by Marcellus)

Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 4 (Project Gutenberg #1524, modern spelling)

Portrait of William Shakespeare

As Hamlet follows the Ghost, the sentry names the sense that the kingdom's corruption has a hidden cause.

Citation: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" — William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 4 (Project Gutenberg #1524, modern spelling). (id hamlet-q3)

Portrait: Hamlet Q1 Frontispiece 1603, William Shakespeare, Public domain.

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Quote card: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark