Before Hamlet even hears of the Ghost, its plain that he is in continual mourning and of "dejected haviour" because he refuses to accept the death of his father and move on. The marriage of his mother to Claudius renders him impotent in all matters and he rejects the unrighteous marriage of uncle to mother. yet he has no power or direct cause to vow vengeance on either of them.
With the infusion of the Ghost in the plot, Hamlet is given a cause for his anger and is pushed towards vowing revenge by his father's spirit. Viewing the Ghost as an agent of Hamlet's subconscious, it becomes an agent of justification for Hamlet's aforementioned mourning and resentment. Since Hamlet was more than hesitant after learning of the supposed murder, without that knowledge, he probably never would have fully revenged Claudius.
"O my prophetic soul!" cried Hamlet when the Ghost told Hamlet of Claudius' betrayal. He takes a moment to commend himself of suspecting foulness in the ascension of Claudius. Is Hamlet a prophet? Or is he only hearing to an inner demon that denies anything beyond the thoughts that have been tormenting Hamlet since his father's death?
Either way, he died satisfied.
1 comment:
I never really thought of giving the ghost of Hamlet's father two roles: one that is more literal, where Hamlet and the guards can actually see and communicate with them, and another where he is more symbolic, where he represents Hamlet's conscious. Why can't the ghost be both? Or perhaps actually seeing the ghost in Act I is the catalyst for what happens during the rest of the play: Hamlet can then refer to what he experienced before and apply it to his plans. Then the ghost can be more like a dual guide.
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