Sam Montagna
Professor Mulready
Shakespeare I
5 November 2012
The Importance of the Ghost
Things are definitely not as they seem
in the House of Hamlet. This is abundantly clear from Act I, Scene I
to Scene V. The ghost of King Hamlet plays a pivotal role in Act I.
The ghost is the key to letting the audience know that there is
something wrong. The mere fact that a ghost of the dead king is
wondering around in the first scene is suspicious. The dead King, as
a ghost, has not moved on and wonders around. The dead King says that
he is “doomed for a certain term to walk the night,/ and for the
day confined to fast in fires” (Shakespeare 1712-10-11). The ghost
has unfinished business and, therefore, a purpose in the play. He
cannot move on or at least find peace with his ghostly self until he
accomplishes his goals.
Before Hamlet speaks to the ghost,
Hamlet seems like a rebellious teenager who is mad at his mother for
remarrying. Claudius, at first, seems like a reasonable king who is
mourning his brother and trying to comfort his nephew (and new
step-son). Claudius announces “Though yet of Hamlet our dear
brother's death/ the memory be green, and that it us befitted/ to
bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom/ to be contracted in
one brow of woe” (1700-1701.1-4). Hamlet, before Scene V, does not
have a credible honor. He is next in line for the throne and Polonius
and Laertes do not even want Ophelia to spend time with him. In other
plays, they would be pushing them to marry because of his royal
status. Hamlet's apparent negative character outweighs the fact that
Ophelia could become queen if they marry. Polonius says “In few,
Ophelia,/ do not believe his vows, for they are brokers,/ not of the
dye which their vestments show, but mere imploratators of unholy
suits,/ breathing like sanctified and pious bawds/ the better to
beguile” (1709.126-131). When Hamlet speaks to the ghost in Scene
V, however, everything changes or at least, will be begin to change.
The ghost reveals that he
is Hamlet's father and he was not bitten by a snake. King Hamlet
tells Hamlet that Claudius poisoned him and then married the weak and
lustful queen. In addition, the ghost is angry because he was not
given his last religious ritual and he is stuck in purgatory as a
result. The ghost wants revenge. This sets the stage for the plot.
Hamlet, then vows to kill Claudius, and as a result, he will become
King. Hamlet vows “So uncle, there you are. Now to my word:/ it is
'Adieu, remember me'./ I have sworn't” (1714.111-113). The ghost's
purpose was to give Hamlet purpose. Hamlet, before, was an angry
student. Now, he is a rebel against the current king. His goals have
focused to killing the King to revenge his dear father and make
everything right again.
