The Ghost: Bona fide or Bogus?

The Ghost: Bona fide or Bogus?

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet’s father is intended to be seen as a real ghost. Around 1600, when the play Hamlet was written, many people believed in mystical creatures like witches, monsters, and most importantly: ghosts. With so many people believing in these characters, it makes sense that Shakespeare portrays the ghost of Hamlet’s father as a real figure. Many examples support this, such as when the guards in Act I scene i see the ghost, which proves it’s not just in Hamlet’s imagination. But some people can not see the ghost, such as Hamlet’s mother in Act III scene iiiii. Hamlet sees the ghost but she can not. This could be used as evidence to say the ghost is not real though. Shakespeare shows us though this information, the high complications oh having ghosts in a story.

In Act 1 scene I, several guards and Horatio, a well educated close friend of Hamlet, see a ghost dressed in full armor. The ghost being in full armor resembles the tense mood of the scene, because many people are scared Denmark will go to war with Norway. The soldiers tell Horatio to question the ghost. He says: “What art thou that usurp’st this time of night, together with that fair and war-like form in which the majesty of buried Denmark did sometimes March? By heaven I charge thee, speak!” (pg. 33, l. 46). The ghost does not reply to his request and the guards think he has offended it. Later in the scene the ghost disappears into the mist. In a later scene Horatio tells Hamlet about seeing the ghost in the middle of the night. This leads to Hamlet meeting with in ghost in Act I, scene iiiii.

Hamlet is ecstatic when he finds out he might be able to talk to his father’s ghost. He becomes...

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...w the exact way and place his father was killed is almost impossible. Hamlet’s Uncle admits to the murder in Act III: “That cannot be since I am still possess’d of those effects for which I did the murder, my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen” (pg. 127, l. 54). The fact that Hamlet’s father was one hundred percent correct about the way in which he died proves he is not just part of Hamlet’s imagination.

When Shakespeare put this ghost in his story it opened up a large debate. Although, at the time when Hamlet was written, almost everyone believed in ghosts so there was no confusion about the ghost. But as time moved one more people stoped believing in ghosts and other mystical creatures. This opened up the debate for if the ghost is real or not. I personally do not believe in ghosts, but I strongly believe the ghost in Hamlet was intended to be a real ghost.