God's bodikin, man, much better. Use every man after his desert, and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honour and dignity.
Act II, Scene 2 · Hamlet
Context
Hamlet instructs Polonius to treat the players well, arguing that no one deserves good treatment if judged solely by merit.
Analysis
Hamlet's rhetorical question 'who should 'scape whipping?' implies universal guilt: if everyone were punished according to their deserts, no one would escape. This levels all moral distinctions and makes mercy the only viable ethic, since justice would condemn everyone equally.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Hamlet operates with a dark view of human nature that paradoxically leads to compassion—since everyone is corrupt, punishment becomes absurd, and the only response is a kind of weary generosity.