Serpent Imagery

The serpent has symbolic value.  Since the beginning, the idea of the serpent was one of evil temptation as seen in the story of Adam and Eve.  The serpent convinced the two to eat of the Garden of Eden and therefore, betray God.  Shakespeare used serpent symbolism and imagery during Brutus's speech about Caesar.  Brutus explains,    "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, Which, hatch'd, would as his kind grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell".   Brutus believes Caesar is merely a "serpent's egg" waiting to hatch and once the day comes he will indeed commit mischievous actions.  Ultimately, Brutus decided to kill Caesar before any of the actions could be committed.  Now in reading Hamlet, Shakespeare again uses the serpent as a symbol.  In act I scene v, the Ghost says, "A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark/ Is by forged process of my death/ Rankly abused.  But I know, thou noble youth,/ The serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown".  The Ghost, apparently the late King, explains his untimely death was at the hand of his brother, Claudius.  The Ghost conjures Claudius as a serpent who took his life unjustly and provided a false story to the people of Denmark.  In this sense, the serpent represents evil vindictiveness.  The serpent Claudius or the arrant knave was hungry for power.  The representation of Claudius could be similar to how Brutus saw Caesar, but Claudius has actually already committed acts of grave nature to get to power.  Therefore,  the symbol of the serpent is one of evil, temptation, and a chance to be vindictive in the works of Shakespeare.