The serpent that did sting thy father’s life / Now wears his crown.
Act I, Scene 5
Context
The Ghost reveals that the official story—that a serpent killed him—is a lie, and that the 'serpent' is actually Claudius, who now wears the crown.
Analysis
By calling Claudius a 'serpent,' the Ghost activates the Genesis story of the Fall, casting Claudius as Satan and Denmark as a corrupted Eden. The metaphor does more than insult Claudius—it gives Hamlet's task a biblical dimension, as if he must expel evil from paradise. The phrase 'now wears his crown' is placed at the line's end for maximum impact, the crown functioning as stolen property and false authority at once.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that the Ghost scripts Hamlet into a religious allegory where he must play Adam's avenger—this mythic framing elevates Hamlet's revenge plot into a cosmic battle between good and evil, which explains why Hamlet later agonizes over whether he is truly God's agent or just a murderer.