There are three appearances of the ghost in the play Hamlet, each occurrence a pivotal part in the consequential development of Shakespeare's play. The third occurrence significantly differs from the rest, in that it pushes an idea of the ghost being partially a figure of Hamlets own mind.
The first present tense appearance of the ghost occurs at the wall of the castle Elsinore when the castle guards Marcellus and Bernardo bring Horatio to their watch. Marcellus and Bernardo have previously seen the ghosts two times. Yet, they brought over Horatio, a close friend of Hamlet, as they wanted to see if the ghost of which looked very similar to Hamlets father, would speak to him. As Horatio approached he was skeptical that the ghost would appear. As it mentions in the text :“Tush, tush, ’twill not appear.’. (Act 1, Scene i). The ghost did appear, and Horatio notes the fact that the late Hamlet is wearing armor from a past battle and states he will retrieve Hamlet the next day to go see the ghost. Horatio previously learning about a invasion by the army of Fortinbras, in addition to other current events, concludes that the ghost has an urgent matter, he thinks the ghost may be a sign of a a bad fate for Denmark.
In the second appearance (Act 1 scene 4) Hamlet is with Horatio, Bernardo and Marcellus. The Ghost asks hamlet to follow him. Horatio, who is cautious warns Hamlet not to do so. Hamlet disobeys and follows the ghosts commend. As it shows in the text:
”it’s my fate calling me. Every nerve in my body is now as tough as steel. The ghost is still waving me over. Let me go, gentlemen. (Act 1 scene 4. line 89)
The ghost than speaks, revealing that he is the spirit of his father and is in a sort of “purgatory”. The ghost reve...
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...t. This absence of conversation allows an idea of the ghost being real but some of the conversations and instructions given from the ghost just being a figure of hamlets own conscious and thoughts. Additionally, on the other side of the spectrum, the last appearance could have been a complete enactment in Hamlets mind proving he did in fact go mad.
Throughout the play, the ghost helps develop the storyline. The ghost allows Shakespeare to open up the play with suspense and foreshadow a doomed fate for Denmark. In the second appearance Hamlet told firsthand about his fathers murder. Hamlet is also given instructions to seek revenge and kill claduious. In the third appearance, the ghost is unseen by Gertrude. This develops ideas including Hamlet actually going mad, or a proof of a the ghosts instruction to hamlet being no less than Hamlets own thoughts and ambitions.
This play takes place mostly in Elsinore, Denmark between the fourteenth and fifteen century following the death of the late King Hamlet, who has been dead for two months prior to the beginning of the play (Shmoop Editorial Team). Act One commences in the middle of a routine nightly shift where Horatio, Hamlet’s friend, and two other guards witness the coming of a spirit that bears an uncanny resemblance to the recently deceased king. Meanwhile at Elsinore Claudius is crowned King with Hamlet’s mother as his queen. This chain of events causes discontent within Prince Hamlet as he delays his mourning time out of spite for the coronation. Afterwards, Horatio and the guards come to the consensus and tell Hamlet of their encounter so that the Prince may meet with the Ghost. The Ghost reveals to Hamlet that he was a victim of a well-planned murder at the hands of Claudius.
“You tremble and look pale'; (1.1.53). The first viewing of the ghost causes the guards great fear. They are unsure if what they have seen is “something more than just fantasy'; (1.1.54). It appears to be the body of the late King Hamlet but perhaps it could be their boggled minds. When the ghost enter a second time, they confirm that it was in fact the ghost of Hamlet. This terrifies and mystifies Bernard, Heratio, and Marcellus. The reader feels all of the emotions along with these characters, as it is expressed through the dialogue.
We begin with Horatio, the scholar who is invited by two guards standing watch in Elsinore Castle. These sentinels have spotted a spirit wandering the grounds for the past two nights at midnight, and they hope to answer their questions through Horatio. When the ghost first appears to the three men, Horatio urges to have Prince Hamlet notified at once the presence of his dead father's ghost, at one time King Hamlet. Why would King Hamlet's spirit be wandering the grounds of Elsinore? This opening of the play is crucial because it brings up many questions that one hopes to answer later. Due to the uncertainty of them being evil or heavenly, the people of the time were afraid of ghosts, including the two guards and Horatio who were horrified when they first encounter King Hamlet's spirit.
Throughout the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet delivers many soliloquies that provide insight on his innermost thoughts. Hamlet reveals the effects of the ghost of his father, the former king, who has returned to command Hamlet to avenge his death by killing his uncle, the current king. He shows his contradicting thoughts on the ghosts request, causing him to question his morals and his trust for the people around him. Within Hamlet 's soliloquies he reveals moral conflict, his inability to take action, and his mental instability.
As everyone including the king and queen is seated the play begins with just a normal show. Then they act out a king and queen happily married and, they show the king taking a nap and then someone walking up to the king to put poison in the actors ear, then goes to have fun with the queen actor. Everyone at this point is confused by the play then the actual king gets kinda mad and orders the play to stop. Doing this Hamlet knew right then and there that the ghost was
Hamlet grants himself the opportunity to momentarily direct himself, yet it remains unknown as to whether he directs a representation of truth or a falsity. He exemplifies madness so well, as the sight of "a damned ghost" (77) insanely induces his imagination and comfortably transforms his identity to one of lunacy. This role he acquires is one he portrays so explicitly well as an actor that he easily utilizes it as the foundation for his players. He instructs the players:
However, only Hamlet can see it. This is unlike the first time, when it was visible to everybody who was present. This time, he is alone with his mother when the ghost makes an appearance. Hamlet sees it and hears it, but the queen doesn’t and calls Hamlet mad. As Hamlet speaks to the ghost, Gertrude says, “to whom do you speak this?” (III, 4, 76) which makes Hamlet realize that he alone can see the ghost. Is Hamlet only imagining that the ghost is there? Did something in his mind shift and cause him to remember his promise to not harm Gertrude? He believes what he sees and hears, and he has no reason not to. Hallucinations have the power to seem very real, and it can be hard for a hallucinating person to distinguish reality from
The supernatural appears to the audience in many varied forms. In Hamlet there appears perhaps the most notable of the supernatural forms, the ghost. However, in Macbeth, not only does a ghost appear, but also a floating dagger, witches, and prophetic apparitions also make appearances. The role of the supernatural is very important in both Hamlet and Macbeth. A ghost, in the form of Hamlet's father, makes several visitations in the play. It first appears to the watchmen, Marcellus and Bernardo, along with Horatio near the guardsmen's post. The ghost, though silent causes them a little anxiety, "It harrows me with fear and wonder"(I.i.53). It is not until the appearance of Hamlet that the ghost speaks, and only then after Horatio has expressed his fears about Hamlet following it, "What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord, or to the dreadful summit of the cliff"(I.iv.76-77). The conversation between the ghost and Hamlet serves as a catalyst for Hamlet's later actions and provides insight into Hamlet's character.
and Hamlet sight the ghost, it beckons Hamlet to leave the other two and speak
In the act 1, sense 1, the appearance of ghost implicated that something would be happening in Denmark and created interest and caution to audience and Horatio. Ghost always represents horror and fear nowadays, and people think that ghost maybe has unfinished hope before death or revenge for somebody. In the Shakespeare world, ghost shows up in somewhere, where it’s not supposed to be. That means that there is someone else, especially in western culture. Horatio said, “has the ghost appeared again tonight” (1.1 21), and “it will not appear” (1.1 29). Horatio was educated, so he didn’t believe that. On the other hand, Bernardo and Marcellus believed the ghost was real and tried to prove it. Through the conversion and background between Horatio and officers, the plot creates the suspense and question to audience. Does the ghost really exist? Meanwhile, the audiences feel curious about the ghost.
He takes care not to reveal it. We never know if the ghost is good or evil spirit. To understand this idea we have to go back to the Elizabethan belief during that period of time. Most Catholics believed that ghosts could be the spirits of the dead coming from the purgatory to finish unfinished matters so their wandering souls may find rest.
In the beginning of the play, doubt already has begun to submerge in the play. Hamlet sees this ghost, who says that he is the Hamlet senior. The ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered by his Claudius, his uncle. Hamlet wants to believe the ghost,
There are certain points to be made which are about ghosts in general. To a superstitious Elizabethan audience a ghost would be less improbable than it seems to a sceptical modern audience, but it would signify that something is wrong with the natural order. In Act I scene i the characters indicate that they believe this; the rational Horatio observes that "This bodes some strange eruption to our state"; Marcellus says that "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark". Even before the arrival of the Ghost the scene is tense - the first words ("Who's there?") are terse and nervy and even Francisco (whom we never see again and so perhaps represents the unseen population of Denmark) admits that he is "sick at heart". The presence of the Ghost, then, adds to this sense that something is deeply wrong - like many such superstitious entities (Horatio refers to other omens that preceded the death of Julius Caesar: the allusion to which makes the audience yet more uncertain of what is to happen) the ...
The guards urge Horatio to speak with the ghost. Because Horatio is a student, they feel he should be able to communicate with the ghost, and their previous attempts to talk with it have failed. Horatio's attempts also fail. The scene ends with Horatio stating that he will go and inform his friend Hamlet of these incredible events.Text: Act I, Scene i
A ghost appearing in the form of Hamlet's father makes several appearances during the play. It first appears to the watch men, Marcellus and Bernardo along with Heratio, at the guardsmen's post. The ghost does not speak to them. It is not until the appearance of hamlet that the ghost does speak.