Connections can be made between the deteriorating state of the kingdom, or people, of Denmark and Claudius' leadership. There are multiple references to the decay of Denmark's strength and reputation throughout the play, as the audience sees how one individual's actions cause a snowball effect of bad endings throughout the kingdom (and more specifically, for the characters of the work). . The poor leadership of the new king, Claudius, and the rotten nature (which therefore functions like a poison or disease) bring bad luck to Denmark as a