essay on the ghost in hamlet

Consideration of the Ghost in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare Essay

Do ghosts always intend wickedness? The question is difficult to answer because ghosts appear in different forms and sometimes they are only visible to specific people like in Hamlet’s case. The Ghost in Hamlet is difficult to understand because the main character does not tell us whether it is wicked or charitable. It stirs Hamlet’s action after telling him how his father died. The Ghost demands that he avenges the death of his father. Hamlet’s behavior changes as he seeks to take revenge on his father’s murderer. The Ghost terrifies Hamlet and he asks it the question, “Be thy intents wicked, or charitable…?” (Shakespeare 1.4.42). The question leaves one wondering about the real intention of the Ghost. Nonetheless, the Ghost’s speech and behavior show that its intent is charitable.

Some ghosts are charitable depending on their nature. The Ghost in the play is charitable because it helps Hamlet to know the truth about the way his father died and to begin finding clues for the murder. At the beginning of the story, Hamlet’s depression occurs because of two huge events: his father’s death, and his mother Gertrude’s remarriage to his uncle Claudius. Losing a parent is tragic and catastrophic, so Hamlet falls into despair. Moreover, his mother, the queen, remarries his uncle, Claudius, who killed his father, the former king, right after his father died and does not mourn for his death like a spouse is expected to. This makes Hamlet feel bad because the queen does not feel sad about her ex-husband’s death. These two events, therefore, cause him to slip into depression. His depression is conspicuous, and Claudius asks Hamlet: “How is it that the cloud still hangs on you?” (Shakespeare 1.2.66). Hamlet, at this time, is too depressed so that people around him can realize the fact. Moreover, his mother urges him to stop mourning, but his sorrow is too deep. He is very concerned about his father’s death and dwells on it very much; Hamlet had his suspicions that maybe his uncle Claudius had a hand in his father’s death as he says: “O my prophetic soul! My uncle!” (Shakespeare 1.5.40). However, even though he had suspicions, he could not bring himself to find clues that could prove Claudius’s suspect because he was very depressed. The Ghost appears to Hamlet when he is suffering and having a hard time, and tells him the truth. Hamlet confirms his previous suspicions and swears to avenge his father’s death after the Ghost tells him that Claudius poured poison in the deceased king’s ear as he lay on his orchard. Therefore by telling the truth to Hamlet and motivating him the Ghost’s intention seems charitable.

The Ghost could also be charitable if it appeared to Hamlet to help in preserving his father’s memory. Hamlet mourns for the death of his father because he used to be very important to him and people around him want Hamlet to forget about him. For example, Claudius tells him that his continued mourning makes him look unmanly. Everyone around him tells him to stop mourning his father but the Ghost reminds him of his father and through the revenge, he is able to keep the memory of his father alive. Hamlet keeps his father’s memory and looks for a way to prove that Claudius really bears the blame for killing his father. He creates a play and he is able to confirm that Claudius is indeed guilty. The ghost represents his lost father but who is not forgotten because his son’s actions keep his memory alive. Horatio lives on to tell the story of Hamlet hence his memory remains and he is not forgotten by means of the Ghost’s help.

Moreover, the essay “Of ghosts and spirits walking by night” also gives proves that the Ghost in Hamlet intends charitable when it appears. According to “Of ghosts and spirits walking by night,” written by Lewes Lavater, there are four ways to distinguish good spirits from evil spirits. The first clue that Lewes talks about is “good spirits will at the beginning somewhat terrify men, but again soon revive and comfort them” (115). In the play, the Ghost at the beginning terrifies men. Horatio is frightened when the Ghost appears. He tells Hamlet not to follow the Ghost when he tries to because Horatio is afraid it might harm his lord. Hamlet also says: “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!”(19). It sounds like a prayer, which means he is frightened by the Ghost. However, Hamlet decides to follow the Ghost, and eventually, he talks to the Ghost about his father’s death. Hamlet adapts to the Ghost and starts a conversation with it. Also, after the conversation, Hamlet revives from his depressions and despairs. Furthermore, Lewes mentions that good spirits and evil spirits have different shapes. He says: “Good spirits appear under the shape of a dove, a man, a lamb, or in the brightness and clear light of the sun” (115). In the play, the Ghost appears in the form of a man. Bernardo says: “In the same figure like the king that’s dead” (4) when he describes the form of the Ghost. The Ghost appears in the form of a man, so the Ghost is a good spirit. Moreover, the last clue to figure out good spirits is to see if the spirit “desires any help or deliverance” (115). In the play Hamlet, the Ghost tells who killed Hamlet’s father and the way he died. The Ghost desires to help to reveal the truth hence its intentions are charitable.

Furthermore, the Ghost is charitable because it helps to tell the right from the wrong in Denmark and that have been committed by Claudius of killing the King in cold blood. The King is killed by the greedy and ambitious Claudius who desires power. He is willing to kill and marry his brother’s wife immediately. The Ghost appears to ensure that the wrong person sitting on the throne losses it through assassination. The killing of Claudius removes a wicked king from the throne and the coming of the Prince Fortinbras of Norway to Denmark offers hope for a fresh start because he is a probable King. Therefore, the Ghost is charitable to Denmark because it helps to purge her of wickedness in leadership and usher in a new dawn.

Finally, the Ghost helps Hamlet to overcome his depression and have a purpose for living again. He starts to live because he wants to take revenge against his father’s murder. The Ghost pushes him towards the goal of killing Claudius even though many other people die in the final scene in the bloodbath. The death of the innocent King is avenged and hence the evil is defeated. The Ghost helps to reveal the truth about Claudius’ character, even though Hamlet takes a very long time before taking revenge. He takes his time as he investigates the validity of the Ghost and leads to a tragedy like no other because he does not rush to take revenge as soon as he gets the information as we expect him to do. He is rational and does not want to rely entirely on a Ghost rumor but seeks to find the truth. The Ghost plays a very important role in the play because it overpowers Hamlet and lures him into the path of revenge. Although Hamlet’s revenge ends with tragedy, it is not because the Ghost lures Hamlet, but because Hamlet develops his emotion to revenge too much. Therefore, since the Ghost helps Hamlet to overcome his depression, the Ghost shows its charitable intention.

Although the Ghost causes tragedy, its role is very important because it tells the truth, motivates Hamlet, and makes Hamlet overcome his sorrow. The story of Hamlet proceeds with Hamlet’s revenge and ends with a bloodbath because Hamlet hurries the revenge and acts hastily. The Ghost did the right thing in pointing Hamlet to the truth about his father’s murderer although the result is a tragedy. Thanks to the Ghost, Hamlet can hear the truth, overcome his depression and obtain a purpose for his life. Hamlet devotes himself to achieving his purpose, which he may not be able to get to if he would not meet the Ghost; for this reason, the Ghost’s intent is charitable in the play.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet: A Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Cyrus Hoy. 2nd. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1992.

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Ghost of King Hamlet by Shakespeare | Summary & Character Analysis

William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is a timeless tragedy that continues to captivate audiences with its complex characters and profound themes. Among the many memorable characters in the play is the ghost of King Hamlet, whose appearance sets the wheels of tragedy in motion. In this article, we will delve into a summary and character analysis of the enigmatic ghost of King Hamlet.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

“Hamlet,” written by William Shakespeare in the early 17th century, is one of his most famous works. It tells the story of Prince Hamlet of Denmark, who seeks revenge against his uncle Claudius for murdering his father, King Hamlet, and usurping the throne.

Brief Overview of King Hamlet’s Character

King Hamlet, prior to his death, is depicted as a strong and noble ruler. His sudden demise at the hands of his brother Claudius sets the stage for the events that follow.

The Ghost of King Hamlet: Introduction

Appearance and introduction in the play.

The ghost of King Hamlet first appears in Act I, Scene i, where it is witnessed by the guards on duty at Elsinore Castle. Its presence creates a sense of foreboding and sets the tone for the rest of the play.

The Purpose of the Ghost’s Appearance

The ghost’s primary purpose is to reveal the truth about his murder to his son, Prince Hamlet, and to spur him to seek vengeance against Claudius.

Significance of the Ghost in the Plot

Influence on hamlet’s actions.

The ghost’s revelation of Claudius’s treachery drives Hamlet to feign madness and plot his revenge, leading to a series of tragic events.

Revelation of Secrets

Through the ghost’s revelations, secrets and hidden motives are brought to light, exposing the corruption within the royal family of Denmark.

Character Analysis of King Hamlet’s Ghost

Motives and desires.

The ghost’s motive for seeking revenge is to ensure that justice is served for his untimely death and to protect the kingdom from further harm.

Impact on Other Characters

The ghost’s presence has a profound effect on the other characters in the play, influencing their beliefs and actions.

Comparisons with Other Shakespearean Ghosts

Similarities and differences.

The ghost of King Hamlet shares similarities with other supernatural entities in Shakespeare’s works, such as the ghost of Banquo in “Macbeth” and the ghost of Old Hamlet in “Hamlet.”

Interpretations and Theories Surrounding the Ghost

Psychological and supernatural perspectives.

Scholars and critics have offered various interpretations of the ghost, ranging from psychological manifestations to supernatural entities.

Themes Associated with the Ghost

The theme of revenge is central to the ghost’s appearance, driving the actions of the characters and fueling the tragic conflict.

Madness and Sanity

The ghost’s presence blurs the line between madness and sanity, as Hamlet grapples with his own sanity while navigating the demands of vengeance.

Corruption and Decay

The ghost’s revelation exposes the moral decay and corruption that pervade the Danish court, reflecting broader themes of decay and corruption in society.

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In conclusion, the ghost of King Hamlet plays a pivotal role in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” serving as a catalyst for the tragic events that unfold. Its appearance not only drives the plot forward but also reveals deeper truths about the characters and themes of the play.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is the ghost of king hamlet real.

The existence of the ghost is open to interpretation. While some characters in the play interact with the ghost, others remain skeptical of its existence.

What is the significance of the ghost’s instructions to Hamlet?

The ghost’s instructions to Hamlet to seek revenge against Claudius highlight the theme of justice and the consequences of moral corruption.

How does the ghost’s appearance impact Hamlet’s mental state?

The ghost’s appearance triggers Hamlet’s descent into madness as he grapples with the demands of vengeance and the complexities of his own conscience.

What role does the ghost play in exposing the corruption within the Danish court?

The ghost’s revelations about Claudius’s treachery and the circumstances of his murder of King Hamlet expose the moral decay and corruption within the royal family.

Does the ghost of King Hamlet appear to anyone else besides Hamlet?

The ghost appears to other characters, such as Horatio and the guards, confirming its existence to them and further complicating the narrative.

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The Role of The Ghost in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

Shakespeare never allows the supernatural to take the upper hand in the dramatic action of his tragedies.

Shakespeare’s tragic world is essentially the human world in which man initiates actions and pursues them to their proper end; they suffer for their deed that issues out of their characters.

Nonetheless, Shakespeare thus makes efficient use of the supernatural to add extra significance to the meaning of his plays.

The appearance of the three witches in Macbeth and of the ghost of Hamlet’s father in Hamlet are two brilliant examples of the use of the supernatural in his plays.

These supernatural elements add an extra dimension of mystery and fear. The world we live in is not wholly intelligible to us.

The Ghost’s First Appearance Warns about The Shaping of Destiny

Mysterious forces are working and shaping our destiny when the ghost arrives from the other world. He comes bursting the frame of mortal understanding; he comes as a traveler from that country “from whose bourn no traveler returns.”

The knowledge, the secret that the ghost brings with it, not only puts Hamlet into a whirlwind of emotional response, it also denotes that something is rotten behind the happy and prosperous facade of the Danish Court. How to murder has been committed, and a betrayal of the worst kind has taken place.

The ghost is also structurally significant in the play because actual actions start with the ghost’s revelation of the secret to Hamlet. The commandment of the ghost to take revenge against Claudius makes Hamlet put on an ‘antique disposition’ to plan the play within the play and seek an opportunity to execute his task of revenge.

The Ghost Reappears to Remind Hamlet of Revenge

The ghost reappears in the scene with Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet has delayed taking his revenge, and the ghost reappears to remind him of his neglected duty.

The Elizabethan audience had a mixed attitude towards ghosts. They neither disbelieved their existence nor did they take them as a reality. The opening scene of Hamlet is one of the most striking openings in Shakespeare’s dramas.

The whole world is asleep at midnight; only three watchmen are keeping watch in darkness and awaiting the arrival of a ghost with frightened hearts. The sense is a mystery, and ominous overtakes the characters on the stage.

The audience critics are almost unanimous in praising the creation of the atmosphere of uncertainty, suspense, mystery, and fear in the opening scene.

Where Does Hamlet Meet The Ghost at First?

Hamlet first meets the ghost of his dead father in Act-1, scene IV, and scene V. The ghost reveals a terrible secret that his uncle Claudius murdered his father by pouring poison into his ear when the king had died of a serpent’s sting. But the ghost says to Hamlet-

“The serpent that stung thy father’s life now wears his crown” The Ghost, Hamlet, Shakespeare

Although now only a ghost, the ghost retains some of the human feelings and emotions; it talks about the queen’s fickleness and shows his grief over her hasty remarriage. He also speaks in very harsh words of the murderer who has usurped the throne of Denmark and won the queen to his shameful lust.

The ghost lays the duty of revenge on Hamlet:-

“If thou hart nature in thee, Bear it not, Let not the royal bed of Denmark A couch for luxury and damned incest” The Ghost, Hamlet, Shakespeare

But even in his indignation, the ghost shows excellent chivalry towards the erring queen. The ghost forbids Hamlet to do anything against his mother and—

“To leave to happen And to those thorns that in her bosom badge To prick and sting her.” The Ghost, Hamlet, Shakespeare

The ghost is thus an integral part of the structural design of the play. It provides the hero with revenge and thus initiates the tragic action. The ghost is indispensable from the plot’s viewpoint, which hinges on the secret revealed by it to Hamlet.

How The Ghost’s Appearance Impacted Hamlet’s Mind

The impact of the ghost’s appearance on Hamlet’s mind is tremendous. The mysterious world of the dead certainly usurps hamlet’s known world. Hamlet immediately resolves to carry out the ghost’s order. However, as the days pass, we find Hamlet in a despondent mood, as he finds this task of killing a murderer irksome.

The second appearance of the ghost takes place in Act-III, Scene- IV, when Hamlet is talking to his mother in her chamber. This time the ghost is visible only to Hamlet, while Hamlet’s mother feels surprised to see Hamlet gazing at nothing.

The first appearance was visible to Marcellus, Bernardo, Horatio, and Hamlet. So the ghost had an objective existence; it was not just a figment of Hamlet’s imagination.

But in the second appearance, the ghost seems to hallucinate his guilty conscience. His conscience comes in the form of the ghost urging and spurring him to take revenge.

Shakespeare makes the ghost plausible to the audience by humanizing it. Significantly, the ghost does not appear again after the closet scene.

By this time, Hamlet has got complete proof of Claudius’s guilt, this problem of “to be or not to be” is resolved. The ghost as an initiator and supporter of action becomes redundant.

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Ghost in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Analysis

“Hamlet” is a play composed by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1601 that was first published in 1603. The drama depicts astonishingly realistic periods of true and created insanity ranging from profound sorrow to rage while also dealing with problems such as betrayal, vengeance, incest, and moral decay.

Throughout the play, Hamlet philosophizes, speaks to himself, analyzes, establishes precise obligations, fails to perform them, criticizes himself for failing to act, and finally acts on temperament rather than reason. The role of the Ghost in Hamlet may be characterized in a variety of ways. The Ghost, for example, may be seen as Hamlet’s father attempting to reach him in order to wreak revenge on Claudius for his murder. It is also conceivable to see the Ghost as a malignant monster out to ruin Hamlet by giving him poor advice.

The Ghost’s intention is to save its spirit from Purgatory, which represents the interval between life and death, rather than to harm Hamlet. Its goal in the play is to enlighten Hamlet about how he died, and it is also crucial to several of the play’s themes, such as appearances against reality, action versus inaction, religion, honor, and revenge, and poison, death, and decay. The Ghost acts as a continual reminder of the force of death and the likelihood that the hereafter, to which all souls are going, will not be a pleasant place, regardless of one’s behavior while alive.

It informs Hamlet that Claudius, the king’s brother who succeeded to the throne and married Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, killed his father. The Ghost orders Hamlet to assassinate Claudius in order to avenge his father’s death. The task at hand weighs heavily on Hamlet’s mind. Is the Ghost wicked, enticing him into doing something that will condemn his soul to eternal damnation? Hamlet contests the veracity of the spectrum. Hamlet’s persona is authentic because of his doubt, anguish, and pain. He is, without a question, one of literature’s most psychologically complicated characters.

Shakespeare paints the look of the dead monarch in great detail. He was clad in armor, as he had been in the great battle against the Norwegian monarch. He was typically gloomy, armed from head to toe, and marched bravely toward the adversary, his vision sharpened. This is the unusual Ghost seen by numerous heroes all across the world, as well as the image in Prince Hamlet’s memoirs. It appears in Act I’s first, fourth, and fifth scenes, as well as Act III’s fourth scene.

Prince Hamlet’s feelings on his father’s spirit change during the play. He first accepts what it has to say since it matches with his own views about how his father died, and he is subsequently convinced of his own existence. The king accuses Claudius of murder and wooing the widow who is left alone, and simultaneously; he begins to encourage his son to seek vengeance.

The Ghost emerges for the first time in front of soldiers Bernardo and Marcellus, as well as Hamlet’s friend Horatio. They are horrified, pull their swords, and ask Horatio to confront the Ghost. He approaches him and invites him to speak with him, disclosing his secret, but he doesn’t have time to tell them all because the morning has arrived. The spirit in this scenario is described as the monarch, who is outfitted in his usual armor. Horatio also notices that the Ghost’s emergence must be tied to the state’s problems.

He convinces Hamlet to remain awake with the soldiers in order to observe if the Ghost would resurface. He returns and tells him about his sojourn in Purgatory after dying without undergoing the last rites: Confession, Communion, and Anointing. The presence of the Ghost at a particular juncture in the play adds drama to a debate that began two scenes earlier in Act 2, scene 2 when Hamlet became convinced of Claudius’ guilt. He realizes the Ghost was telling the truth when he accused Claudius of murdering him.

Shakespeare’s use of spirits adds to the dynamic psychological complexity of his works. The Ghost of Hamlet is the play’s most fully formed and completed character. The truth of Hamlet’s father’s absence would have been felt throughout the play if the Ghost had not been present.

The Spirit in Hamlet is central to the plot and has been interpreted in various ways. Greenblatt claims that the Ghost of Hamlet is more than a narrative device, a general standard of the Elizabethan vengeance play, as is frequently supposed. Its impact on both the public and young Hamlet extends far beyond its function as a storyline catalyst. [1] W. W. Greg, a Shakespeare expert, believed that the Ghost was a fiction of Hamlet’s overworked mind [2] . Shakespeare expert J. Dover Wilson and others have suggested that by having the Ghost come to others several times before appearing to Hamlet, Shakespeare demonstrates that the appearance is not a simple delusion. [3]

Shakespeare presents us with a young man plagued with existential uncertainties about punishment, death, and love, as well as a psychological and existential crisis. Shakespeare’s interpretative axis maybe The Ghost of King Hamlet. The Ghost, a paradigmatically present drama, harkens back to the late medieval area of enchantment and mysticism, the Catholic concept of Purgatory. “[T]he Ghost’s objective existence [is] dubious,” Gans writes, an illusion created by the mimetic rivalries of the play. [4]

[1] Greenblatt, Stephen. Hamlet in Purgatory. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001.

[2] Greg, W.W., “Hamlet’s Hallucinations”, Modern Language Review, XII, 1917, 393–421

[3] Joseph, Miriam “Discerning the Ghost in Hamlet”. PMLA . 76 (5): 493–502

[4] Gans, Eric. Originary Thinking: Elements of Generative Anthropology. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1993.

Ghost in Hamlet Commentary Analysis
Hamlet: Polonius Character Analysis
Hamlet: Horatio Character Analysis

Author: William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Hamlet’s Ghost: A Review Article Greenblatt, Stephen. Hamlet in Purgatory . Princeton UP, 2001.

Peter goldman, department of english westminster college salt lake city, utah 84105 www.wcslc.edu [email protected].

“Remember me.” Hamlet’s Ghost calls out to us across the space of four hundred years, and by all evidence we are in no danger of forgetting him. Scholars have tended to focus their attention on the character of young Hamlet, but the Ghost of King Hamlet is arguably the interpretive crux of Shakespeare’s play. We must decide, along with young Hamlet, whether the Ghost is “a spirit of health or goblin damned.” In this paradigmatically modern play, the Ghost hearkens back to the late medieval world of magic and superstition, the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory–as well as the generic conventions of the Elizabethan revenge tragedy. In a crucial way the whole plot of Hamlet depends upon the Ghost. Yet some critics have questioned the reality claim of the Ghost within the world of the play, along with the ethics of his call for revenge–just as, indeed, young Hamlet himself feels compelled to test the truth of the Ghost’s accusation through “The Mousetrap,” the play within the play. The Ghost also raises larger questions about the role of the supernatural within early modern culture. For all these reasons, Stephen Greenblatt’s new book Hamlet in Purgatory is especially welcome.

“I began with a desire to speak with the dead.” One of the most striking openings of any book of literary criticism, Greenblatt introduces thus his book Shakespearean Negotiations (1988). In his more recent work on Hamlet, Greenblatt examines that same desire to speak with the dead in Shakespeare and his audience, a desire, he argues, in which we ourselves, as fans of Hamlet, participate. Not only do we desire to speak with the dead, but the dead also desire to speak with us; or, more precisely, they seem to fear the oblivion of forgetfulness. Significantly, Hamlet’s Ghost asks for remembrance (1.5.92) as well as revenge. Although the term “Purgatory” is never mentioned in Hamlet (such a reference might well have run afoul of Elizabethan censors), the Ghost clearly implies that he has returned from Purgatory. He is “Doomed for a certain term to walk the night / And for the day confined to fast in fires, / Till the foul crimes done in days of nature / Are burnt and purged away” (1.5.11-14).

In recent years New Historicists have been exploring the complex ways in which Renaissance drama appropriated the power of weakened or damaged traditional religious institutions. Purgatory, for example, was at the center of vast web of institutional rituals and customs, and these practices had been forcibly repressed by the Church of England for almost forty years when Shakespeare’s Hamlet was first performed. Leading Protestants in England sought to minimize the purely ceremonial dimensions of late medieval worship; in this effort many of the hallowed images, the statues, carvings, and the furniture of the parish churches were destroyed or defaced with ill-advised haste and violence. Reformers often rushed to discard age-old customs and practices that had acquired the familiarity and authority of ancient tradition. The iconoclasm of the Reformation left an enormous gap in the cultural and spiritual life of the English people, and Renaissance drama stepped in to help fill that gap. It is worthwhile noting in this regard that the rise of the Elizabethan theater followed immediately on the Protestant suppression of the annual mystery play cycles, a rich element of late medieval culture. The more tradition-minded laity found the bare austerities of the Protestant worship service, centered on preaching and biblical exegesis, dissatisfying and inaccessible. Protestant worship in its most rigorous forms was intellectually and morally strenuous. Shakespeare’s theater, according to New Historicists, was able to appropriate and transform the spiritual “energy” or charisma associated with forbidden Catholic practices such as exorcism or services for the dead. The attacks on Catholic ceremonies commonly associated them with both magic and theater. The repression of Purgatory was part of a larger attack on the belief in ghosts in general. Efforts to eliminate magic and superstition added to the cultural vacuum created by the forces of modernity.

Secularization, as Greenblatt recognizes, is not a process of evacuating religious beliefs and institutions of their sacred contents, leaving for modernity only the secular forms. It is precisely the ritual forms that are left behind; traditional ceremonies such as the Mass for the dead or ritual exorcism were abandoned, while the psychic energy invested therein continued in new forms, including art. The sacred does not simply evaporate in the modern era; it is rather integrated into the fabric of our culture, integrated so profoundly that we hardly recognize it as such any more.

This is not to elide the significant differences between art and religion, and before returning to Hamlet it will be worthwhile to dwell briefly on this important point. New Historicists commonly assert that the boundaries between art, religion, and other cultural practices are fluid. What counts for “literature,” for example, is a matter of historical convention. For this reason, New Historicists have participated in the widespread trend towards interdisciplinary research, examining the relationships between seemingly discrete discursive fields. This is undeniably a healthy trend, but this approach sometimes ignores the significant differences between fields such as art and religion. The strength of Greenblatt’s work is that he is very sensitive to the relevant distinctions between different cultural practices. For example, comparing the medieval mystery plays to Marlowe’s Faustus, Greenblatt writes,

there is, to be sure, fear and trembling in the mysteries and moralities of the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, but a dread bound up with the fate of particular situated individuals is largely absent, and the audience shares its grief and joy in a collective experience that serves either to ward off or to absorb private emotions. Marlowe’s Faustus , by contrast, though it appears conventional enough in its plot and overarching religious ideology, seems like a startling departure from everything that has preceded it precisely because the dramatist has heightened and individuated anxiety to an unprecedented degree and because he has contrived to implicate his audience as individuals in that anxiety. ( Shakespearean Negotiations 133)

The experience of the audience in an Elizabethan theater is not collective in quite the same sense as in a religious ritual, or even as in a quasi-ritual such as the mystery plays. An individual’s personal response to a religious ritual is often irrelevant–what validates the ritual is the institution itself and the participation of the community. Participation in an ecclesiastical ritual constitutes submission to the institutional authority of the church. And in early modern England, of course, church attendance was mandatory. The essence of the ritual is the individual’s submersion in the religious community as a whole. In a theater, by contrast, each individual is free to applaud or not. Watching a play seems to be a more passive experience than participating in a religious ceremony, and in one sense it is. But aesthetic response, in a secular context, is also more individuating, less constrained by institutional pressures, as Greenblatt recognizes. To put this point schematically, the modern theater creates a community of individuals, not a cosmic hierarchy. A certain freedom is gained, but the security of a stable cosmos is sacrificed.

In Greenblatt’s work, however, the distinction between theater and ritual remains without any theoretical grounding, anthropological or otherwise. New Historicism shares with Generative Anthropology the typically modern desire to minimize our theoretical presuppositions. But this healthy desire does not free us from the necessity of defining our object of study. Culture is defined by representation, as Greenblatt well knows. This, I take it, is the import of Clifford Geertz’s famous conception of culture as semiotic (Geertz 5), a conception which Greenblatt acknowledges as the basis for his practice ( Practicing New Historicism 20-31). But Geertz’s semiotic concept of culture remains at best a description of culture, not a rigorous definition. As a whole, New Historicism is severely limited by its lack of any solid theoretical foundation. Its anthropological insights can be articulated only on an ad hoc basis. Nonetheless, there is a powerful anthropological intuition at work in Greenblatt, despite the lack of theoretical support, and his recent book deserves our careful attention.

In Hamlet in Purgatory, Greenblatt argues that the Ghost of Hamlet is not simply a plot device, a generic convention of the Elizabethan revenge tragedy, as sometimes assumed. Its power, both for the audience and for young Hamlet, goes far beyond its function as a plot catalyst. Rather the figure of the Ghost expresses (1) a widespread fear among the living of being forgotten after death and (2) bereavement for those already dead. The Ghost, in brief, inhabits the imaginative space left open by the English Reformation’s banishment of Purgatory in 1563. The Ghost returns from Purgatory, and in effect brings Purgatory back with him, albeit in a fictionalized and thereby transformed shape. Shakespeare’s Hamlet , as Greenblatt puts it, participates in “a cult of the dead” (203, 257), and we as readers and viewers continue this cult–one with important social functions that he explores at length. Only on this cultic basis can we account for Hamlet ‘s powerful and continued fascination. The primary imperative of the Ghost is to “Remember,” not to “Revenge,” as commonly thought. In this sense, Greenblatt’s interpretation shares common concerns with the readings of René Girard and Eric Gans, for both of whom also revenge is secondary to the refusal or delay of revenge. In Greenblatt’s reading, the imperative for memory at the cost of revenge accounts for Hamlet’s delay that has so puzzled critics over the centuries, as indeed Hamlet himself (in his soliloquies) is puzzled and frustrated by his lack of ready action. In this reading of the play, the problem is not delay but rather revenge itself: the Ghost does call out for revenge, and Hamlet eventually fulfills that requirement, if not, perhaps, in exactly the way envisioned by King Hamlet. The problem for Greenblatt’s interpretation, as he puts it, is that “Sticking a sword into someone’s body turns out to be a very tricky way of remembering the dead” (225). If the play is primarily an expression of the “desire to speak with the dead,” and the fear, on the part of the living, of being forgotten after death, then how do we account for the elements of revenge at all? We cannot deny that the play, like all revenge tragedies, ends with a bloodbath. And at least part of the aesthetic experience of the play is the conventional anticipation of revenge. As Greenblatt observes, “Purgatory, along with theological language of communion (houseling), deathbed confession (appointment), and anointing (aneling), while compatible with a Christian (and, specifically, a Catholic) call for remembrance, is utterly incompatible with a Senecan call for vengeance” (237). Ghosts from Purgatory typically ask for prayers to hasten their way to Heaven. How, in other words, do we reconcile revenge and remembrance? In order to see how Greenblatt answers this question, we will need to review briefly the argument of his book.

The larger part of Greenblatt’s book is devoted to reconstructing two important contexts for Hamlet : the Renaissance controversies over the doctrine of Purgatory in the wake of the Reformation, and representations of Purgatory in paintings, manuscript illuminations, prints, and narratives–for example, the medieval legend of “St. Patrick’s Purgatory” in Ireland (73-101). We remember here Hamlet’s excited oath to Horatio early in the play, “by Saint Patrick” (1.5.42), and editors duly note that Saint Patrick is regarded as the keeper of Purgatory. In this popular legend, widely disseminated by vernacular translations and medieval sermons, Saint Patrick discovers a physical entrance into Purgatory in a cave at Lough Derg, Donegal, in Ireland, and then establishes an abbey on the site. An English knight, Owein, comes to the abbey desiring to repent his sins and avoid punishment in the afterlife. He enters physically into Purgatory, has various adventures there including conversations with the devils, suffers punishments appropriate to his sins, and finally, like Dante (two centuries later), achieves a vision of Paradise. He returns to earth to tell his story, giving Purgatory the authority of an eyewitness account, an authority Purgatory was much in need of, given its lack of any ancient authority. The abbey that was built around the entry to Purgatory in a cave was an important destination for late medieval pilgrimages until English Protestants dismantled the site in the 17th century. “St. Patrick’s Purgatory” is a significant, yet little known, chapter in the history of lay devotion during the medieval and Renaissance periods. Greenblatt’s account is enlightening, not least for the close reading skills he brings to this text, as well as his analysis of the social and institutional functions served by the legends surrounding Purgatory. To a large extent, this is the familiar story of how anxiety is aroused only to be channeled and allayed through appropriate institutional means, thus affirming a particular social hierarchy and cultural economy. Greenblatt’s larger purpose in this chapter is to establish the importance of Purgatory in the late medieval imagination, and hence the trauma surrounding its official elimination in 1563, a trauma which found expression through Shakespeare’s play.

Another fascinating piece of lay devotion examined at length by Greenblatt is the popular story of “The Gast [Ghost] of Gy,” about a widow in France during the 14th century who is haunted by the Ghost of her departed husband (105-133). A Dominican monk is called in to examine the Ghost in order to determine its nature and the reason for the haunting. What follows is a long dialogue, “which is in effect the transcript of a scholastic disputatio between the cleric and the specter” (105). The rhetorical effect of this dialogue is ambiguous, as Greenblatt notes. The figure of the Ghost himself is highly ambivalent; while he is destined for heaven, he says, “I am a wicked Ghost, as unto my wicked pain that I suffer” (112). The dialogue also attempts to resolve, not entirely satisfactorily, some of the theological difficulties surrounding Purgatory. And finally, the monk is presented as rather simple-minded and limited in comparison to the Ghost, so that the authority of the church in dealing with ghosts seems questionable. The story reveals that the main reason for the haunting is the Ghost’s attachment to his wife. The Ghost of Gy says, “I love more my wife / Than any other man alive, / And therefore first to her I went” (qtd. by Greenblatt 130). The haunting turns out to be a touching scene of domestic affection, not unlike the solicitude exhibited by King Hamlet’s Ghost for Gertrude, especially during the “closet scene” in the third act (scene four). Purgatory therefore is associated with the private and domestic, important indicators of modernity. Greenblatt’s discussion of Purgatory ghosts and monks parallels his account of “Shakespeare and the Exorcists” (in reference to King Lear ), the possessed and their demons, in Shakespearean Negotiations (94-128). In institutional terms, ghosts and demons are liminal phenomena; official doctrine sanctions them, and institutional means existed to deal with these spirits, but hauntings and possessions tended to arise outside of conventional ritual contexts, and they attracted charismatic figures (spiritual “experts”) who existed on the fringes of the official institutions. Hauntings and possessions also permitted active lay participation, with unpredictable results. For these reasons, Reformers seeking to consolidate the power of the church found them threatening. Ghosts were ambivalent and controversial, and they always threatened to escape the bounds of official control.

Given the importance of ghosts in the Renaissance imagination, we might well ask how and why credulous belief in ghosts came to such a sudden end in the seventeenth century. As Greenblatt puts it, “How did it all come to an end? How were the dead killed off? And did they go quietly?” (133). In Greenblatt’s account, the ghosts inhabiting Purgatory were forcibly evicted by zealous Protestant reformers, and they did not go quietly: conservatives, speaking on behalf of the dead, protested long and loud. In addition to Renaissance representations of Purgatory, Greenblatt also examines the controversies surrounding this Catholic institution during the English Reformation. For this purpose he examines closely Simon Fish’s attack on Purgatory in “A Supplication for the Beggars” (1529), a tract which argues that the vast resources spent on relieving souls in Purgatory would be better spent on relieving the living beggars of the realm. In response to Fish, Sir Thomas More wrote “The Supplication of Souls” (1529), framed as a plea from the dead to save them from the painful fires of Purgatory. For More and other conservatives, the devotional practices surrounding Purgatory were invaluable, not only for the aid of the suffering ghosts, but also as a means of creating a sense of community among the living, a community which included the dead who had not been forgotten. The dead lingered in the memories of the living, just as they lingered in the liminal space of Purgatory. These suffering souls still existed in a relationship of reciprocal exchange and occasional communication with the living. John Donne’s obsession with death and dying is examined to good effect in this light, notably his famous Meditation #17 from Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” As Donne points out, “No man is an island.” We are part of vast community that includes both the living and the dead. Purgatory was a valuable means of maintaining this sense of continuity and community, and its elimination was a genuine loss to Renaissance culture. Greenblatt, agreeing with revisionist historians of the Reformation, points out rightly that late medieval devotional practices were not quite the dead letter that Protestant polemics portrayed. The traditions of Catholicism were still living and vital, and Protestant piety took root in the fertile ground prepared by late medieval developments such as Confession and Purgatory. An intellectual elite imposed many of the Protestant reforms from above; they did not always emerge spontaneously from below as a grass-roots movement, as sometimes claimed. (The question that revisionist historians beg, however, is why the reformers were so successful if they did not have substantial popular support. The sweeping changes inaugurated by the English Reformation required both an active faction of reformers and widespread popular support, even if that support was sometimes limited to popular resentment toward the corruption of the clergy. Contrary to the claims of Christopher Haigh [56-74], the importance of anticlericalism for the Reformation can hardly be overestimated.) Hamlet , according to Greenblatt, participates in the debate about Purgatory, although not in any simple fashion. The play in effect stages this debate without necessarily taking sides.

For a Renaissance audience, the dramatic representation of a ghost from Purgatory would evoke a rich context of legends and lore that have for the most part been lost to modern audiences. Ghost stories, for instance, were a frequent element of medieval sermons. Greenblatt does an admirable job of recreating that context and demonstrating the semantic richness of the Ghost for a Renaissance audience. In this he explains all the ways in which Hamlet’s Ghost exceeds the generic traditions of the revenge tragedy. Greenblatt also considers other representations of ghosts in Renaissance drama, including revenge tragedies, noting that Shakespeare’s use of ghosts is rather unique in the ways that he was able to effectively exploit the supernatural for dramatic purposes. In his valuable discussion of Shakespeare’s use of ghosts (in all his plays), Greenblatt charts “three fundamental perspectives to which Shakespeare repeatedly returns: the Ghost as a figure of false surmise, the Ghost as a figure of history’s nightmare, and the Ghost as a figure of deep psychic disturbance. Half-hidden is all of these is a fourth perspective: the Ghost as figure of theater” (157). Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural, Greenblatt points out, does not fall neatly into the categories of either skepticism or simple belief. He argues that Shakespeare took ghostly spirits quite seriously. Although Shakespeare’s attitude is educated and modern, his drama suggests that the claim of the supernatural upon us is real and substantial. To the extent that we take his drama seriously, we must also take the supernatural seriously. Shakespeare’s deployment of ghosts goes beyond “special effects” or theatrical entertainment. The moral universe inhabited by Shakespeare’s heroes and heroines suggests that the supernatural is part of the very warp and woof of the human cosmos. Ghostly spirits, in Shakespeare, tell us something valuable and irreplaceable about this world, if not the life after death. What that something is, however, remains considerably ambiguous.

This brings us back to Hamlet’s Ghost and the apparent contradiction between the call to revenge and the call to remembrance. Greenblatt attempts to finesse this contradiction by appealing to ambiguity itself. Shakespeare deliberately left the status of the Ghost ambiguous and open to interpretation, and this is in effect the meaning of the Ghost (239-40). Shakespeare, then, exploits to dramatic purpose the ongoing controversy and uncertainty about ghosts in Elizabethan society. The very ambiguity of the Ghost, according to Greenblatt, is the key to its dramatic power. The thesis of undecidability has much to recommend it. A case could be made that what constitutes a “classic” is that it draws on a large variety of rich semantic contexts. The dense ambiguity of a classic text allows for a variety of plausible interpretations, and thus for the formation of an ongoing interpretive community surrounding the text. As Greenblatt points out, the banishment of Purgatory left a vacuum in Renaissance culture which required the development of new cultural forms, including, for example, the interpretive community surrounding texts such as Hamlet , a community in which Greenblatt’s readers participate. The problem with this thesis is that it is too general to account for Hamlet ‘s specific role in Western culture. Ambiguity is one of those things such that if you are looking for it, you will find it. To the extent that Greenblatt attempts to resolve the contradiction between revenge and memory, he seems to come down on the side of memory, suggesting that vengeance is really secondary to the imperative for remembrance. Hamlet , Greenblatt suggests, is fundamentally conservative in its nostalgia for Purgatory. But then, we might ask, why is Hamlet often considered paradigmatically modern, and Hamlet a prototypical modern hero? If the play is backwards-looking, then why does it continue to hold the fascination that it does? Greenblatt overextends his thesis about the Ghost. Purgatory is never mentioned explicitly in the play, and it constitutes only a minor context that fails to account for the play’s immense cultural power. Young Hamlet does not seem especially concerned about the eternal destiny of his father. And at the end of the play, as Greenblatt notes, the Ghost is essentially forgotten (226). With considerable ingenuity, Greenblatt takes the forgetting of the Ghost as evidence for the play’s larger shift away from revenge. Yet according to Greenblatt, the shift away from revenge is motivated by the turn to memory, so it does not make sense that the Ghost’s emphasis on memory would result finally in his own forgetting. Greenblatt attempts to get around this problem by appealing to Hamlet’s request for Horatio to tell his story, another example of remembrance. But the absence of Hamlet’s Ghost from the end of the play seriously undermines Greenblatt’s main line of argument.

In defending his thesis of ambiguity, Greenblatt discusses what might be called the Protestant elements of Hamlet (240-244), notably Hamlet’s skepticism about the Ghost that motivates the staging of the play within the play, “The Mousetrap.” Greenblatt calls our attention to Hamlet’s insistence on physical materiality, for example in his remark to Claudius that Polonius is “At supper . . . . Not where he eats but where ‘a is eaten” (4.3.17, 19). As Greenblatt insightfully notes, the supper where one does not eat but is eaten suggests the Lord’s Supper. In an outstanding feat of cultural poetics, Greenblatt compares the Reformation controversies over this sacrament with Hamlet’s discourse on the physical process of dying and death. The Catholics insisted that during the Mass the bread and wine were physically transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ, through the miracle of transubstantiation. Protestants, in contrast, argued that the Mass, which they preferred to call The Lord’s Supper, was merely symbolic and memorial in nature. No literal transformation took place. The Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation made necessary elaborate ceremonial precautions to avoid profaning the body and blood of God. The laity, for example, were not given the Chalice during the late medieval period because they might spill some of the blood of God. Protestants delightedly pounced on the logical absurdities involved in transubstantiation, continually taunting the Catholics that the body of Christ must then be chewed, swallowed, and digested, making “a progress through the guts of a beggar.” Likewise, a mouse or rat might catch some leftover crumbs and feast on God’s body. Greenblatt points out that Hamlet’s language insistently recalls these Protestant polemics against the Mass. “A certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him [Polonius],” Hamlet tells Claudius; “We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots” (4.3.19-23). Hamlet continues with the logic typical of Protestant polemics against the Catholic Mass: “A man may fish with a worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that had fed of that worm,” thus “a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar” (4.3.27-32). By the same logic, Hamlet demonstrates to Horatio how “Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay, / Might stop a hole to keep the wind away” (5.1.213-214). In a passage that deserves to be quoted at length, Greenblatt writes,

Hamlet is disgusted by the grossness whose emblem here [3.3.80] is the bread in his father’s stomach, a grossness figured as well by drinking, sleeping, sexual intercourse, and above all perhaps by woman’s flesh. The play enacts and reenacts queasy rituals of defilement and revulsion, an obsession with a corporeality that reduces everything to appetite and excretion. . . . . Here, as in the line about the king’s progress through the guts of a beggar, the revulsion is mingled with a sense of drastic leveling, the collapse of order and distinction into polymorphous, endlessly recycled materiality. Claudius, with his reechy kisses and paddling fingers, is a paddock, a bat, a gib, and this unclean beast, like the priapic priest of Protestant polemics, has poisoned the entire social and symbolic system. Hamlet’s response is not to attempt to shore it up but to draw it altogether into the writhing of maggots. . . .

The spirit can be healed only by refusing all compromise and by plunging the imagination unflinchingly into the rank corruption of the ulcerous place. Such a conviction led the Reformers to dwell on the progress of the Host through the guts of a mouse, and a comparable conviction, born of intertwining theological and psychological obsessions, leads Hamlet to the clay pit and the decayed leftovers that the gravediggers bring to light. . . . This is the primary and elemental nausea provoked by the vulnerability of matter . . . . This revulsion is not an end in itself; it is the spiritual precondition of a liberated spirit that finds a special providence in the fall of a sparrow, sacrificially fulfills the father’s design and declares that the readiness is all. (243-44)

This is a very insightful way of understanding Hamlet’s disgust with sex, drink, food, and physicality in general. For Greenblatt, however, this insight serves merely to support his thesis of ambiguity. He does not seem to notice how the Protestant elements of Hamlet’s character contradict his emphasis on Catholic remembrance. As David Bevington has demonstrated, Hamlet is iconoclastic in relation to traditional rituals (173-187). He does not seem inclined towards the public ceremonies surrounding death, rituals intended for devout recollection. Hamlet, we remember, has “that within which passes show” (1.2.85). Although he dresses in black, he despises the merely ceremonial “trappings and suits of woe,” the purely formal “shapes of grief”: “For they are actions that a man might play” (1.2.86, 82, 84). Many critics have noted the numerous “maimed rites” in Hamlet , from the opening ceremony at Claudius’ court to Ophelia’s funeral to the ostentatious staging of the final fencing match. The play’s antipathy towards ritual, ceremony, and hierarchy poses serious problems for Greenblatt’s argument about Purgatory, which was at the center of a vast network of rituals and ceremonies. Hamlet’s Protestant skepticism could very well put him at odds with the Ghost and the whole revenge plot in which Hamlet finds himself.

By drawing our attention away from revenge, Greenblatt’s interpretation shares some affinities with René Girard’s pioneering interpretation in A Theater of Envy (271-289). For Girard, the problem of the play is not Hamlet’s delay, but precisely the question of revenge. Whereas for most critics, Greenblatt included, revenge is an unaccountable holdover from the revenge tragedy tradition, Girard, from his anthropological perspective, sees revenge as another version of the sacrificial, the translation of resentment into action. While revenge might cloak itself within a façade of necessary justice, from an ethical point of view the need for violent personal retribution is banal and ultimately puerile.

Under this definition, revenge is in effect a universal problem for human culture, not simply a theme of Elizabethan drama. Girard’s “Fundamental Anthropology” is grounded in his theory of mimetic or conflictual desire. In this view, what distinguishes the human species are our mimetic tendencies. In evolutionary terms, mimesis or imitation is an adaptive learning behavior, a form of intelligence, but mimesis, when transferred to desire and the appropriation of desirable or “sacred” objects, leads to conflict–just as Hamlet, for example, comes into conflict with Laertes at the grave of Ophelia. Our mimetic heritage is distinctly ambivalent: it creates a temptation to violence, but it also serves as the basis for language or representation itself, the distinctly human form of mimesis or imitation.

In Girard’s view, Hamlet is modern because he understands revenge; he understands how “weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable” it is. King Hamlet represents the ancient/medieval world of honor, pride, and heroic combat, while young Hamlet represents the Christian or modern skepticism towards mimetic rivalry in its various traditional forms. In Girard’s view, the violence of the ending is a concession to the requirements of a popular, bloodthirsty audience. Girard argues that Hamlet’s revenge is morally unjustifiable, as Hamlet in effect realizes, because the poisoned King is just as guilty of murder as Claudius. His purgatorial punishments, as well his slaying of King Fortinbras, demonstrate his guilt. A sophisticated audience, familiar with Shakespeare’s “theater of envy” (that is, his critique of mimetic desire), would see through the atavistic elements of the ending. Girard resolves the conflict between pagan revenge and Christian forgiveness by positing a dual audience for Shakespeare’s plays. Hamlet’s internal conflict, what Girard calls his “unnamable paralysis of the will, that ineffable corruption of the spirit” (284), can be healed only by a complete renunciation of violence.

The problem with Girard’s interpretation, however, as Eric Gans points out, is that the elimination of revenge is a utopian solution to the problem of conflictual desire, a solution inappropriate to a modern world which feeds on the social energies released by competition (rivalry) and desire ( Chronicles #141). Girard sees Christianity as a revelation of the victimary (and hence unjustifiable) basis of the sacrificial, both in ritual and classic tragedy, a moral revelation which demands the radical renunciation of revenge. But insofar as the structure of mimetic desire is inherently sacrificial (the satisfaction of triangular desire would mean the sacrificial destruction of the human obstacles to that desire), the apocalypse entailed by satisfied desire can be only deferred indefinitely. As the very basis of culture, desire, and hence the possibility of violence, cannot be coherently refused, only sublimated and thus deferred. Gans writes, “In the last analysis, Girard no more than the other critics can consonance Hamlet’s indefinite delay. The difference, and it is entirely to his credit, is that where our pseudo-Nietzscheans impatiently urge Hamlet to wreak vengeance on the patriarchy, Girard wants him to follow the Christian road of renunciation” ( Chronicles #141).

Gans is able to give a whole new interpretation of Hamlet’s delay as a function of his “delight in ‘words, words, words.'” Unlike Fortinbras or Laertes, the Danish prince is an “intellectual who glories in his mastery of language as a means to defer as long as possible the contact of ideas with practical reality” ( Chronicles #141). Hamlet is modern, in Gans’s view, because he would rather linger at the margins of the Danish court–making fun of the other characters, dramatizing his situation in soliloquies–than plunge straightforward towards revenge. Hamlet’s linguistic delaying tactics form a valuable, presciently modern alternative to the ancient/medieval world of revenge, embodied in the figure of the Ghost. “[T]he Ghost’s objective existence [is] dubious,” Gans writes, an illusion created by the mimetic rivalries of the play ( Chronicles #141).

Gans agrees with Girard that the problem of Hamlet is fundamentally ethical in nature, the integration of Christian moral values into classical tragedy, but he defines the problem of this combination in different terms ( Originary Thinking 156-160). His basic model of aesthetic analysis is the scene of representation, defined by a [sacred] center and [human] periphery. Centrality denotes significance, but this significance is vulnerable to resentment (hence sacrificial violence) and therefore stands always in need of justification. The classical aesthetic is distinguished by an agon between superhuman heroes whose significance was unquestioned. Christianity, however, reveals the humanity of the sacred center, that is, the essential equivalence of center and periphery. Christianity involves a leveling of the vertical hierarchy implied by classical art. The Neo-classical (early modern or Renaissance) aesthetic remains ambivalently attached to the classical scene of representation, just as Hamlet remains perversely attached to the ceremonial scene of the Danish court. Hamlet defines himself in opposition to the classical scene of representation, yet he is unable to find any coherent alternative. A romantic Hamlet might well elope with Ophelia to Paris or England. The romantic hero would transcend the classical agon by internalizing it within himself through a narrative of redemptive suffering. “Hamlet’s delight in righteous indignation prefigures the romantic heroes for whom he serves as the primary model” (Gans, Chronicles #141). Shakespeare’s play complicates, yet still participates in the classical, aristocratic conception of the tragic-heroic. Hamlet stages the classical scene of representation, demystifying it, opening it up to questioning and reciprocal exchange, but without creating an independent alternative.

It is this finely nuanced sense of cultural history that distinguishes Gans’s analysis from Greenblatt’s. Greenblatt can be seen as broadly in line with Girard and Gans, in that the focus of his interpretation is on the mechanisms that bring about the delay of revenge rather than the imperative for revenge itself. Greenblatt adds to our understanding of Hamlet, but his reading by no means supplants Gans’s reading because it is not grounded in any coherent theory of human culture in its historical development. This limitation becomes evident when Greenblatt overemphasizes the importance of Purgatory and remembrance at the expense of Hamlet’s Protestant skepticism. Greenblatt does not have a clear sense of what makes Hamlet modern. The weakness of New Historicism, ironically, is that it lacks any strong sense of history. A more complete reading of Hamlet would further explore the ways in which the play works “against revenge.” Hamlet not only turns away from revenge, he also resists the rituals and hierarchy that legitimate revenge. The heart of Hamlet’s mystery remains to be explored as a process of iconoclastic skepticism.

Works Cited

Bevington, David. Action is Eloquence: Shakespeare’s Language of Gesture. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1984.

Gans, Eric. Originary Thinking: Elements of Generative Anthropology. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1993.

——.”On Looking Into Branagh’s Hamlet .” Chronicles of Love and Resentment #141. Saturday, June 20th, 1998.

Geertz, Clifford. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books, 1973.

Girard, René. A Theater of Envy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.

Greenblatt, Stephen. Hamlet in Purgatory. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001.

——. Shakespearean Negotiations: The Circulation of Social Energy in Renaissance England. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.

Greenblatt, Stephen, and Catherine Gallagher. Practicing New Historicism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

Haigh, Christopher. “Anticlericalism and the English Reformation.” The English Reformation Revised. Ed. Christopher Haigh. Cambridge GB: Cambridge University Press, 1987. 56–74.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet . Ed. David Bevington. New York: Bantam, 1980.

The Importance of The Ghost in Hamlet

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GHOST IN HAMLET

WILLIAM STRUNK, JR.

Reprinted from Studies in Language and Literature in honor of James Morgan Hart

⁠ BY WILLIAM STRUNK, JR., PH.D.

Hamlet holds a unique position among Shakespeare's plays by reason of the challenge which it has offered to interpretation. As a whole and in its details the play has been the subject of more discussion than any other of its author's works. The judgments passed upon Hamlet's conduct have been of the most diverse kind, and correspondingly diverse theories have been formulated to account for his delay in carrying out his task, or to disprove that such delay exists. Not a few students of the tragedy, among whom may be mentioned J. Halliwell-Phillipps ( Memoranda on Hamlet , 1879, pp. 6-7), have after long study expressed their conviction that the mystery of the play is insoluble.

Since modern research has tended to lend support to the hypothesis that Hamlet , in its received form, represents Shakespeare's revision and expansion of a first draft (represented imperfectly by the First Quarto , 1603), itself a rewriting of a lost play by Thomas Kyd , other students, of whom one of the latest is Professor C. M. Lewis ( The Genesis of Hamlet , 1907), have frankly admitted the inconsistencies of the text, accounting for them as resulting from the presence in the play of inharmonious material retained from the original source and from Shakespeare's first version. No attempt to formulate a comprehensive explanation of Hamlet 's conduct, from that of Goethe in 1795 to the latest with which I am acquainted, that of Dr. Ernest Jones ( The American Journal of Psychology , Jan., 1910), has been generally accepted as satisfactorily accounting for everything in the play. Consciously or unconsciously, all the critics disregard some of the data. Professor Lewis, for example, deems it justifiable to disregard, in estimating Hamlet's character, such details as the sending of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their death, as Hamlet's remark about "perfect conscience," as his soliloquy on meeting the troops of Fortinbras . "The composite Hamlet is not an entity at all, and therefore not a subject for psychological analysis" (p. 133). Whether or not the reader is prepared to go quite so far as this, he will, I think, be ready to concede that the main desideratum in interpreting Hamlet is not to provide an answer for every difficult question that may be asked in connection with the play, but to discover, if that be possible, how Shakespeare intended his hero's course of action to be regarded. And if the reader will concede that the data afforded by the text are partly irreconcilable, [1] he will agree that the question at once arises, which of these data are to be considered as beyond question significant.

In the opinion of the present writer, critics have hitherto, as a rule, overlooked the peculiar importance, in this connection, to be attributed to the utterances of the ghost. Nowhere have I seen it affirmed that the first step in the interpretation of Hamlet is to scrutinize the actions and utterances of the ghost, to note what it does and what it leaves undone, what it says and what it refrains from saying, and to regard the results of such scrutiny as the fundamental data of the play. True, in the course of the constant study to which the play has been subjected, the words of the ghost have not escaped notice, and his attitude towards Hamlet and his language have been cited in evidence of particular views. Thus Mr. Bradley says, with perfect justice ( Shakespearean Tragedy , p. 100), "Surely it is clear that, whatever we in the twentieth century may think about Hamlet's duty, we are meant in the play to assume that he ought to have obeyed the Ghost;" and again (p. 139), "We construe the Ghost's interpretation of Hamlet's delay ('almost blunted purpose') as the truth, the dramatist's own interpretation." Dr. Francis Maurice Egan 's essay ( The Ghost in Hamlet , 1906) stands by itself as a discriminating study in which the ghost is constantly kept in the foreground. The distinction, however, which Dr. Egan draws between the exalted mission of the ghost, seeking only the salvation of Denmark and the preservation of his royal line, and Hamlet's sinful eagerness to exact vengeance by returning evil for evil, is one which I have difficulty in reading into the play. Still less can I see in this the chief concern of the play, and the cause of Hamlet's failure.

The play of Hamlet is characterized not merely by the presence of a supernatural being among its persons, but by the actual participation of this supernatural being in the action. [2] Unlike the ghost of Andrea in The Spanish Tragedie , a mere spectator of the mortal struggle in which his enemies perish, the ghost of Hamlet's father concerns himself practically in the scheme of revenge. He communicates to Hamlet information which could have reached the Prince by no other channel, he demands revenge, prescribes in part the conditions of this revenge, and reappears to reprove the instrument of his revenge for lack of zeal. His supernatural quality places his words and actions in a category by themselves, by reason of which, above and beyond all else to be found in the play, they enable us to determine the dramatist's underlying conceptions of situation and character. I purpose justifying this view, and then pointing out some of the obvious consequences, if we apply it as a working principle.

Whether or not infallibility can be attributed to the ghost, it cannot be attributed to the mortal characters of the play. Students of the play cannot agree whether certain speeches (as, "He weeps for what is done," iv . i. 27) are to be taken as truth or falsehood; whether certain of Hamlet's doubts and hesitations (as his doubt of the genuineness of the ghost, ii . ii. 628; his fear of sending his uncle to heaven, iii . iii. 74) are real or feigned or the result of self-deception. In the utterances of the characters other than the ghost, we meet frequently with conscious deceit (lying and hypocrisy, dissembling and the feigning of madness), self-deception (particularly in the case of Hamlet), and constantly with the limitations arising from fallible judgment, lack of information, or similar causes. Of the human characters, Horatio , indeed, displays honesty, sincerity, and common sense, but admirable as he is, there seems to be a general agreement that his more prosaic nature fails to understand that of Hamlet. Further, Horatio is comparatively taciturn; he largely keeps his opinions to himself. Barring his seeming disapproval of Hamlet's way with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, his tardy remonstrance in the scene at Ophelia 's grave, and his attempt to dissuade Hamlet from the fencing-match, Horatio seems to be ready to acquiesce in any opinion or action of Hamlet, once the story of the ghost has been repeated to him. It would be difficult to maintain that he is intended to be Shakespeare's mouthpiece. None of the human characters in the play sees the action steadily and sees it whole.

But do these limitations apply to the ghost, a supernatural being? Is he liable to error, to prejudice? Can he deceive others, or be himself deceived? The answer is best found by examining Shakespeare's practice with regard to similar beings in other plays. We find that in Richard III , in Julius Cæsar , in Macbeth , in Cymbeline , in The Winter's Tale (the oracle), the supernatural beings, however diverse their nature, are alike in certain respects. They have sources of information denied to mortals. They are free from the encumbrances of mortal frailty, and so far as they take upon themselves the responsibility of speech and action, they possess virtual infallibility. The fairies of A Midsummer-Night's Dream make ludicrous blunders, it is true, and show a plentiful lack of wisdom, but this is a comic phantasy. In The Tempest again, the spirits are not free agents; it is Prospero in whom the supernatural power is really centered. But in serious actions Shakespeare regularly represents the utterances of supernatural beings, when they appear on their own initiative, as possessing two characteristics: perfect truth (though the form of the statement may be such as to mislead erring mortals), and, so far as the purpose of the speaker is concerned, sufficiency for the end proposed.

The ghost, therefore, may be regarded, within reasonable limitations, as sharing this infallibility. He has passed beyond the possibility of mortal errors of judgement; he has sources of knowledge in which mortals have no part. He returns to earth from purgatory, not from heaven, for that would be incongruous with his demand for revenge; not from hell, for that would be incompatible with Hamlet's duty to obey him. It may be pointed out that he knows the circumstances of his murder, though he was asleep when it was committed. Though there would have been no propriety in making him omniscient and omnipotent, he is, so far as concerns his own aims, all-sufficient both in knowledge and in judgement. He may have no minute prophetic knowledge of the future, but he knows when intervention is necessary and when he may safely trust Hamlet to attain revenge without further admonition. So far as his words throw light upon the nature of Hamlet's task, upon Hamlet's character, upon the efficiency with which Hamlet performs his task, they have an authority, and must have been intended by Shakespeare to have an authority, which gives them precedence over all the other data afforded by the play. Like Hamlet, we may say, "It is an honest ghost," and "take the ghost's word for a thousand pound." The words and actions of the ghost in many cases furnish the test by which we may determine the truth or falsity of the indications afforded by the other charapters in the play.

One qualification must be made. In the attempt to attach significance to all that the ghost does and says, we must not overlook the requirements of dramatic structure. I would not argue for a hidden meaning in the circumstance that instead of appearing in Hamlet's bedchamber shortly after the murder, it waits nearly two months and then appears first to the guards without the palace. The exposition here is similar to that in Macbeth , the first, second, and fourth scenes of Hamlet fulfilling the same functions as the first three of Macbeth . That the scene in which Hamlet and the ghost meet may make the proper impression, Shakespeare prepares for it by scenes in which these two characters are separately presented to us. Similarly, the ghost's beckoning Hamlet away ( i . iv) leads to a demonstration of his courage, part of the preliminary exposition of his character, and provides a means of temporarily removing Horatio and Marcellus, in order that the interest may be concentrated upon the ghost's revelation and upon the manner in which Hamlet receives it. Nor would I lay stress upon the ghost's insistence that Horatio and Marcellus swear upon Hamlet's sword. Mysterious and impressive as the ghostly voice from below sounds in actual performance, its effectiveness is rather theatrical than dramatic. Even Coleridge admitted that "these subterraneous speeches of the ghost are hardly defensible." Coleridge, however, undertook to demonstrate the propriety of Hamlet's own share in the scene, and Mr. Bradley (pp. 412-413) gives his reasons for accepting the part taken by the ghost as Shakespearean in spirit, and not merely condescension to the groundlings. I still believe that in the conduct of this part of the scene, Shakespeare did not feel himself free to depart widely from his original. The four speeches of the ghost beneath the stage, resulting in Hamlet's removal from one side of the stage to the other, have their counterpart in Fratricide Punished ( Furness ii. 125-126), and hence, in the opinion of some, were a feature of the pre-Shakespearean version. The issue of secrecy is never again raised. Marcellus is no more heard of, and Horatio is the most loyal of confidants. The first oath, "In faith, my lord, not I," was really sufficient. We can, however, see a reason why the ghost should approve of Hamlet's swearing his friends to secrecy: this indicates Hamlet's purpose of undertaking the revenge himself and of carrying it out with his own hand.

But with these minor exceptions, occasioned by the dramatic form and by the established tradition among playgoers, we may look to the words and actions of the ghost as our sole infallible guide in interpreting the play. What indications do these afford?

The ghost's command to Hamlet is threefold (Ransome, Shakespeare's Plots , p. 12):

The next point in the ghost's command is, "Taint not thy mind." This has, I think, been commonly taken to mean that in pursuing his revenge, Hamlet is not to behave unworthily, to blemish his character, or perhaps, that he is not to destroy his good name. As Mr. Ransome puts it (p. 12), "the punishment of the murderer was to be effected in such a way that the propriety of Hamlet's conduct in the matter should be evident." According to this interpretation, Hamlet's words (v. ii. 356-356),

O good Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me,

may be taken as uttered in distinct remembrance of the ghost's injunction. But this interpretation, which seems to lend support to the mistaken view that Hamlet must publicly demonstrate his uncle's guilt before taking vengeance upon him, I believe to be incorrect. The words, "Taint not thy mind," are immediately connected with those which follow, "Nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught." The reference is to the melancholy, occasioned by the disgrace of his mother's incestuous marriage, which has already brought Hamlet to the point of meditating suicide ( i . ii. 131-132). This melancholy Hamlet is bidden to overcome. "Do not brood over thy griefs; do not yield to melancholy," is the true meaning of the ghost's words. [3] The conjunction "nor" emphasizes the close connection between this part of the command and that which follows, for it is precisely this brooding upon his mother's conduct that might lead him to seek some means of involving her in her husband's punishment. The view which these words really support is not that of Werder, but that of Mr. Bradley. They also afford another test by which to appraise Hamlet's subsequent conduct.

The prohibition of any attempt to punish his mother affords another test of Hamlet's later action, one so easy to apply that nothing further need be said here. The ghost's description of himself as

Cut off even in the blossoms of [his] sin, Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd, No reckoning made, but sent to [his] account With all [his] imperfections on [his] head,

indicates clearly that Hamlet's belief ( iii . iii. 73 ff.) in the significance of the last occupation of a man suddenly killed is not meant by Shakespeare to pass as pure folly. More will be said of this later on. I agree also with Mr. Bradley (p. 126) that "the Ghost, in fact, had more reason than we suppose at first for leaving with Hamlet as his parting injunction the command, 'Remember me,' and for greeting him, on reappearing, with the command, 'Do not forget. ' "

Hamlet's conduct from the beginning of the second act is to be examined in the light of the ghost's commands, literally interpreted. His feigning of madness, I should say, may be held to be sanctioned by the ghost's expression, "howsoever thou pursuest this act" But the whole scheme of catching the conscience of the king by means of the play must be pronounced an inexcusable deviation from the path marked out for him. His recognition of the ghost as his father's spirit has been complete. The play is merely a pretext, which enables Hamlet to feel that he is doing something relating to his revenge, and thus to excuse himself for putting off his main task. And the result is not simple postponement, for the play catches the king's conscience in a way that Hamlet had not anticipated, and thereby creates a new obstacle to the attainment of revenge. The king is led to feel remorse and to pray. Hamlet, searching for the king in order that he may kill him, finds him at prayer, and spares his life, in order to avoid the possibility of thwarting his vengeance by sending the king to heaven. Hamlet's reasoning, however it may shock modern sensibilities, is not without a certain plausibility, and according to the moral scheme of an Elizabethan revenge-play, would be perfectly justifiable, provided always that Hamlet were acting on his own responsibility. But Hamlet is not a free agent, and it should not be his to "reason why." To the objection that the ghost's words, "Cut off even in the blossom of my sin," imply an obligation upon Hamlet to kill his uncle in a moment of sin and thereby ensure his eternal damnation, it may be answered that the ghost had also said, "Howsoever thou pursuest this act," and that in the very next scene the ghost reproves Hamlet for his "blunted purpose," a reproof which it is natural to connect directly with Hamlet's failure to seize this particular opportunity. Further, Shakespeare makes it clear that even by his own principle, Hamlet was wrong in not accepting his chance, for this moment of apparent repentance is precisely the moment in which the king has definitely formulated his situation, and has resolved not to act as becomes a repentant man.

The ghost's reappearance should be sufficient evidence that Hamlet's conduct has not been blameless. The repetition of a supernatural command, in Hamlet's case as in that of the prophet Jonah , is proof positive that the person commanded has been remiss. The ghost's words, "I come to whet thy almost blunted purpose," are incompatible with any belief that Hamlet is a "man of action," deferring his revenge only for reasons of necessity. It is to be noted that although the ghost bids Hamlet calm his mother, "O, step between her and her fighting soul," it does not specifically reprove Hamlet for having upbraided her, nor does it repeat the warning, "Taint not thy mind." If the ghost has nothing further to say upon these points, the reason must be that Hamlet is in need of no further exhortation. It is to be noted likewise that the ghost does not forbid Hamlet's going to England. Now it has been alleged again and again that Hamlet's departure from Denmark seems to imply an abandonment of his purpose; that he should have remained in Elsinore, because only there could his revenge be accomplished. Indeed, it is even urged that this absence from Denmark, at the critical moment of the return of Laertes , is what alone makes possible the subsequent catastrophes: the death of Laertes, of the queen, and of Hamlet himself. But the real causes of these events lie further back, in the sparing of the king at prayer and in the delays and hesitations which preceded this. The departure for England is, as it were, linked with dreadful consequences, but it is not their cause. Hamlet's fault is not that he sets out for England, but that he should have placed himself in a position which made this course necessary. The silence of the ghost should be conclusive. And the necessity of Hamlet's setting out for England is otherwise apparent. After the killing of Polonius he is placed under guard ( iv . iii. 14). His only practical course is that which he actually takes: to leave Denmark quietly with his guards, and to elude them at the first opportunity, once the shores of Denmark have been left behind.

After the third act the ghost does not reappear. The plain inference is that intervention is no longer necessary, that Hamlet's course, reckless as it may seem, particularly to those who wish, like Goethe, to conceive of him as a tender, fragile, or flower-like creature, unfitted to take risks or confront dangers, leads directly to the fulfillment of his task. He feels himself to have the caution, the strength, the resourcefulness, the courage, and the determination to accomplish his purpose. The time of irresolution and delay is past. His words to Horatio, "The interim is mine" ( v . ii. 73) are those of a man confident of his mastery of the situation. If he holds a blunted foil in one hand, he holds an unbated dagger in the other. He twice refuses the poisoned cup. He is no longer the hesitating and meditative Hamlet of the second and third acts, but a Hamlet who in a school of bitter experience has learned how to overcome his own weaknesses, and has thus fitted himself for the task of overcoming his enemy. The supernatural judgment of the ghost was not at fault.

The conclusions resulting from this principle of the virtual infallibility of the ghost are in large part not new. Indeed, any comprehensive discussion of Hamlet's conduct which is wholly new can hardly escape being fantastic. My aim has been to emphasize the importance of the words and actions of the ghost as the necessary point of departure for all interpretation of the play, and within due limits, as the final authority in such interpretation. An examination of these words and actions enables us in large measure to discriminate between the conclusions derived from other data. We are enabled to conclude with certainty that Hamlet essentially is not in madness, but mad in craft; that he is not temperamentally unfit for the task assigned him, but a fit instrument of revenge; that his task does not include self-justification or the bringing of the king to public ignominy, but is limited to the attainment of vengeance, a task possible to him only when he shall first have succeeded in overcoming his inclination to melancholy and in banishing from his mind his indignation at his mother's frailty. In the second and third acts we see him fail to carry out the ghost's command, because he has not yet overcome these obstacles. But his efforts at self-mastery have so far availed that the reappearance of the ghost, aided by his own self-reproaches, makes it possible for him to advance thenceforward steadily and surely toward the goal of his revenge. The lives that seem to be needlessly sacrificed, in the last two acts are the price of Hamlet's previous hesitation and delay. For all this, so far as I can interpret the text, we have the authority of the ghost, which, from the nature of the case, is as much as to say, we have Shakespeare's own authority.

↑ "Again it may be held without any improbability that, from carelessness or because he was engaged on this play for several years, Shakespeare left inconsistencies in his exhibition of the character which must prevent us from being certain of his ultimate meaning." A. C. Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy , p. 93.
↑ I am taking it for granted, in this paper, that the ghost is intended by Shakespeare as a genuine apparition, and not as a hallucination. This is so apparent that Professor Stoll ( The Objectivity of the Ghosts in Shakespeare , Publications of the Modern Language Association of America , N.S. xv. 203) regards it as a point not calling for demonstration. The opposite opinion has been maintained with great ingenuity by N. R. D'Alfonso (Lo Spettro dell' Amleto, Rivista Italiana di Filosofia , anno viii , i. 358), but his analysis simply confirms in detail what Lessing had long since pointed out in a general way ( Hamburgische Dramaturgie xi), namely, that the circumstances of the ghost's appearance are in perfect conformity with the accepted notions of the behavior of ghosts.
↑ This is taking the word "mind" in its most natural and usual sense. The expression, "a tainted mind," would be closely similar to Spenser 's expression ( Faerie Queene iv. i. vii. 4), "her wounded mind," used with reference to Britomart, who is in love with Artegall. The mind may be "tainted" by melancholy, just as it may be "wounded" by love. It also seems more likely that the ghost should be concerning himself with a matter of present importance, than with a future contingency.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1909, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1946, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 77 years or less . This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works .

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The Dishonest Ghost in "Hamlet" Marilyn Fu

Shakespeare has always been able to create characters richly dichotomous in nature. In "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," the portrayal of the ghost of Hamlet's father vacillates through the play from Hamlet's uncertainty of whether "it is an honest ghost" (144, l.5) or "a goblin damned" (40, l.4). In one sense, the ghost is honest in that he tells Hamlet the truth about his own murder?Claudius is truly guilty. On the other hand, while the ghost appeals to Hamlet on the seemingly rational grounds of avenging "murder most foul" (28, l.5) "if thou didst ever thy dear father love?" (24, l.5), it is arguable that the ghost manipulates Hamlet to continue spreading the rottenness and foul play already present in Denmark. Just as Hamlet later accuses other characters of "putting on" or "playing" to him, it is also very likely that the ghost "puts on" for Hamlet by playing on Hamlet's grief and love for his dead father, in order to get his revenge. The madness, destruction, and death which this leads Hamlet and almost every other character in the play to, suggests far from virtuous intentions on the ghost's part. In parallel to Elizabethan ideas...

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The Symbolism of the ghost in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

An analysis on the role of the Ghost in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

Related Papers

Spyros Kokkos

BEST Journals

The careful observer can easily realize that certain cultural practices from afar look strangely like those performed in his/her own culture. As an African, I definitely perceive this reality through Shakespeare's works. The appearance of a ghost is highly significant since it may reveal hidden facts. The one presented here-King Hamlet-has a matter to settle with his murderer and brother Claudius. And to achieve this, he confides in his son Hamlet. Its recommendation is clear: give me justice. Its repeated appearance prompts this son, so dull and brooding, to pass to the act. What if the latter had other reasons to do so! That is what this article will consider, focusing on Hamlet, prince of Denmark. Our goal is to reveal these hidden reasons. Resume L'observateur attentif peut aisément se rendre compte que certaines pratiques relevant de la culture d'ailleurs ressemblent étrangement à ce que présente sa propre culture. L'Africain que je suis le remarque fort bien avec les oeuvres de Shakespeare. L'avènement d'un fantôme par exemple est chose curieuse et redoutée car ce 'revenu' a certainement des choses cachées à révéler. Celui que nous présente le dramaturge-King Hamlet-avait un contentieux à régler avec son meurtrier et frère Claudius. Et pour y parvenir, il se confie à son fils héritier Hamlet. Sa recommandation est claire : rends-moi justice. Son apparition répétée finit par décider ce fils-trop pensif et timoré-à passer à l'acte. Et si ce dernier avait aussi d'autres raisons de le faire ! C'est ce que cet article étudiera en s'appuyant sur l'oeuvre Hamlet, prince de Danemark. Notre objectif est de révéler ces motifs dissimulés.

Hansueli Hauenstein

George Twigg

coursework ms.

Anne Newstead

Fast Capitalism

Lukas Szrot

Shakespeare Bulletin

Sarah Outterson-Murphy

A stage ghost, supposedly incorporeal, remains embodied by an actor. Hamlet addresses this problem by depicting its Ghost as an actor whose affective power arises from its bodily influence over spectators. As it works to generate powerful physical effects in its audience, the Ghost highlights and exploits the embodied, performing presence of the solid actor. Paradoxically, the play compensates for its failure to provide a perfect illusion of ghostliness by emphasizing the Ghost’s “harrowing” bodily power over fellow characters. As Hamlet and others respond physically to the Ghost, they act as onstage proxies for playgoers. The Ghost’s call to “Remember me” links to early modern concepts of bodily participation and response embedded in the Anglican service for the Lord’s Supper: “do this in remembrance of me.” The Ghost and Hamlet thus model a theatrical relation between performer and spectator by which the actor’s body physically influences playgoers to imitate it and take action in turn. Such a vision of active performance and response—as fraught as it is for Hamlet, caught between the extreme spectatorial responses of paralyzed inaction and infectious violence—ultimately works to counter antitheatricalist fears. Through the Ghost’s acting body, Shakespeare acknowledges the dangers of theatrical embodiment as either an embarrassing liability to the theatrical fiction or a poisonous, unstoppable bodily contagion, while offering an alternative. By ‘remembering’ this harrowing story in both body and spirit, Hamlet suggests, playgoers gain the power to take action and carry forward the ghost-like representation that is theatrical performance itself.

Johns Hopkins Project Muse PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE

John F DeCarlo

Key points: The paper addresses the question: why and how does Hamlet lose track of time in the Prayer-Closet scene sequence? While Deleuze aptly notes the poetic formula “the time is out of joint” is indicative of time no longer being subordinate to cyclical rhythms of nature, or as Polonius asserts: “Time is time”(II. ii. 88), but rather movement being subordinated to time, it is argued that the HAMLET text goes further in its pre-figuration of Kant’s concept that time is a mysteriously autonomous form. More specifically, it is explicated via a close textual reading that in Kantian terminology Hamlet's temporary identification with the Ghost’s categorical sense of what is possible and impossible in accordance with the passage of outer time is what causes Hamlet’s temporal confusion.

Bilal Hamamra

Studia Anglica Posnaniensia

Andrzej Wicher

This is a preview of the whole essay

Furthermore the ghost itself creates a mood of foreboding in relations to political issues during the Elizabethan era or maybe even to entertain the audience. “The Ghost, indeed, reminds us that even the greatest earthly strength is still subject to the controlling influence of a spiritual power beyond the laws of man.” [1] This then brings up the question among the audience as to whether the ghost is a good or evil spirit. “This bodes some strange eruption to our state,” Horatio believes that the arrival of the ghost has to do with the fact that Denmark may be facing danger in the near future. This indicates how familiar the Elizabethan audience are concerning with the significance of omens as they would always assume that anything eerie and ghostly would conclude to a disaster or even a tragedy. With the play being performed at the time of the Queen’s approaching death, Shakespeare merely wanted to prepare the people of what is to become of their country.

One of the reasons as to why the play is a revenge-theme is mainly because the ghost has motive that was later instructed to carry out by Hamlet himself, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder”. For that the ghost has become a fundamental base of the play and indispensable. “…apart from producing the atmosphere of mystery and fear, is vital to the plot of the play…concerned with the theme of revenge, but the motive for revenge is provided by the Ghost.” [1] The play revolves around the ghost’s motives and of Hamlet executing the task. We later learn that it is torturous for Hamlet to carry out the ghost’s wishes, “To be, or not to be – that is the question; / Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer…” Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act Three Scene One, displays his state of confusion regarding the ghost’s wishes to execute his uncle, Claudius. “his warped family situation can offer him no solace,” [4] This also allows the audience to question the afterlife. Also the fact that Hamlet wishes to see the ghost proves that he wants an ‘explanation and a course of action.’ [5] With the ghost declaring that it is his father’s ghost, asks Hamlet to seek revenge on his behalf as the retribution implied by the ghost’s appeal to Hamlet’s characteristics.

Hamlet talks in puns and riddles to reflect his state of mind, which is a state of confusion and on the edge of sanity. His mental state is important because it threatens the Danish state. It can be seen that Shakespeare purposely used the role of the Ghost as a manifestation of Hamlet’s doubts and suspicions. The plot of the play is to represent the inner thoughts of the Elizabethan audience regarding the situation of the next ruler after the Queen and to speculate about the idea of purgatory. The idea of the ghost may seem far-fetched for modern audiences, as the Ghost is only able to speak to Hamlet, and mostly to appear in front of Hamlet. “Modern audiences, comparatively free of the shackles of Elizabethan superstition, are still thrilled by the Ghost and do not regard it as ridiculous.” [2] Despite the fact that Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo have also encountered the Ghost themselves, there is still no evidence to prove that the Ghost was objectively real.

The ghost appears for the last time in Act III, Scene IV, where Hamlet and Gertrude display an intense domestic scene. For Hamlet was to discuss the matter of his father and whether his own mother was part of the conspiracy. As for Gertrude, she was to find what is happening in her son’s heart and what he is thinking of. The tension was built up when Gertrude asked the question, “thou hast thy gather much offended” . Which brought upon Hamlet’s rage thus his play-on-words; “Mother, you have thy father much offended” The hesitation built up within Hamlet is seen as he draws his sword through Polonius “How now! A rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!” Hamlet who has been contemplating on murdering Claudius finally releases the tension and slain Polonius.

It is also during this scene that the audience would question the existence of the ghost and the madness of Hamlet’s mind. “ we would expect Hamlet’s ‘madness’ to be fully explicable in terms of Renaissance psychology and medicine. ” [3] Here Hamlet witness the ghost in front of his mother, however the mother does not see anything, “how is’t with you,/ That you bend your eye on vacancy”. It can be seen that Gertrude does not see the ghost and so some may conclude to the idea of Hamlet being ‘mad’. However it can be argued that Gertrude may not be telling the truth and not accept the fact of supernaturalism. It has been argued that during this scene the modern audience may believe that Hamlet has an Oedipus complex, where a child bears feelings for either parent of the opposite sex and sees the parent of the same gender as a rival. In relevance to Freud’s Oedipus theory, it is said that Hamlet went through an oedipal phase and ‘ had repressed his oedipal feelings in adulthood so successfully… ’ [3] and upon the news of his father’s death we can assume that Hamlet’s childhood wish; to kill the father, has been fulfilled however through Claudius. Therefore Hamlet is hesitating in killing Claudius because in doing so, he would be killing himself and would conclude to the idea of Hamlet’s state of confusion.

Shakespeare uses the ghost to allow room for discovering the medieval beliefs about spirits and other ideas of the supernaturalism. “In his use of the ghost in Hamlet, Shakespeare effectively exploited the medical beliefs about spirits and other manifestations of the supernatural…” [2] The ghost is the vehicle for exploring the problem of Elizabethan succession. Traditionally ghosts would occur after a great event, wanting its revenge, gets justice or prophesying the future. Purpose of the ghosts is to only suggest, tempt, persuade, and appeal. During Act one Scene four, where Hamlet first encounter the Ghost, Horatio tires to dissuade Hamlet because the ghost were known to have vile intentions of alluring men to their self-destruction; “What if it tempt you towards the flood, my lord…And draw you into madness?...” It can be analysed that the ghost were always seen as a negative connotations as they are usually associated with evil. Ironically in one perspective the Ghost may be seen evil has it has requested Hamlet to perform justice for the sake of the Ghost’s death. ‘The ghost may have some secret…‘thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls’, an explanation why things are as they are and are directive for meaningful action.’ [5] Yet Shakespeare puts in an interlude so that the King confesses that he was the one who usurped Hamlet’s father. As Hamlet overheard this, he tells Horatio that he would “take the ghost’s world” and achieve the Ghost’s last request. If the ghost were not to be trusted, as Hamlet might have been cynical and not believe in the supernatural; then the play itself would not be in existence. The play itself revolves around the Ghost’s motif for Hamlet, to seek revenge and justice.

Throughout this essay it has been shown how the Elizabethan audience traditional ideas of the supernatural, whereas the modern audience would still accept the ideas of the supernatural without seeing it as ridiculous. The differences between the Elizabethan and Modern audience is that the King was seen as the right hand of God. Therefore he is the highest rank amongst the mortals, that he is literally the King on earth. And if the King is to commit a sin or someone commits a sin towards the king, a rightful punishment would be cast upon the sinister. That is why revenge may appear to be justice in the eyes of the Elizabethan, whereas in the modern audience would see revenge as sinister and unreasonable. The ghost would only appear during eerie atmosphere towards Hamlet regarding whether or not he has achieve its wish. For an Elizabethan perspective, the existence of the ghost would simply be to entertain the audience and create a genre that not many other plays were able to successfully be able to achieve. Hamlet along with Macbeth and Julius Caesar were Shakespeare’s most notable plays containing the idea of the supernatural, which grabbed the attentions of the Elizabethan’s minds. The Ghost controls the whole play as they control the fortunes of the characters that encounter the ghost. It is clear that Hamlet was unprepared for the task that the ghost has burden him with. However who told him to take on this responsibility that Hamlet believes would set the world right, or restore the state back into order. No one but himself. If Hamlet rushed to judgement, as Othello does, there would have been no tragedy. Equally, if Othello had investigated and considered as carefully as Hamlet, he would have not murdered Desdemona. With the modern view; many events have happed since the Elizabethans that we modern audience/readers are able to interpret. As a modern audience it can be argued that the significance of the Ghost may simply be to show Shakespeare’s inner thoughts and attitude towards the society of his time. Shakespeare wanted to give out ‘unseen’ message towards the audience regarding their monarchy and questioning their society.

Word Count: 2037

Bibliography

[1] Ramji Lal, ‘ Hamlet, a critical study’ , (Rama Brothers Educational Publishers, 2000)

[2] Cumberland Clark, ‘ Shakespeare and the Supernatural’ , (London: Williams and Norgate, 1931)

[3] Raman Selden, ‘ Hamlet’s word-play and the Oedipus complex’ in Linda Cookson and Bryan Loughrey eds., ‘ Hamlet, William Shakespeare’, (Essex: 1985)

[4] SparksNotes –

[5] Philip Edwards, ‘ Hamlet, Prince of Denmark’ , (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985)

What is the significance of the ghost in Hamlet? How would an Elizabethan audience and a modern audience have interpreted the play?

Document Details

Word Count 2292
Page Count 4
Level AS and A Level
Subject English

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Hamlet — The Dishonesty of the Ghost in Hamlet

The Dishonesty of The Ghost in Hamlet

Categories: Hamlet

About this sample

Words: 1570 |

Pages: 3.5 |

Published: Jun 29, 2018

Words: 1570 | Pages: 3.5 | 8 min read

Works Cited

Bloom, H. (Ed.). (2003). Hamlet: Comprehensive research and study guide. Infobase Publishing.
Coyle, M. (2005). Shakespeare and the power of performance: Stage and page in the Elizabethan theatre. University of Iowa Press.
Greenblatt, S. (2004). Hamlet in purgatory. Princeton University Press.
Hart, J. (Ed.). (2012). The Cambridge companion to Shakespeare's poetry. Cambridge University Press.
Hattaway, M. (Ed.). (2009). The Cambridge companion to Shakespeare's history plays. Cambridge University Press.
Hodgdon, B., & Worthen, W. B. (Eds.). (2004). A companion to Shakespeare and performance. John Wiley & Sons.
Holland, P. (2003). The ghost of Richard III: Performing history in Shakespeare's Henriad. University of Iowa Press.
Howard, J. E. (2003). Hamlet and the concept of character. University of Nebraska Press.
Thompson, A., & Taylor, N. (2006). Hamlet: The texts of 1603 and 1623. Arden Shakespeare.
Wells, S., & Orlin, L. C. (Eds.). (2003). Shakespeare: An Oxford guide. Oxford University Press.

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Jeffrey R. Wilson

Essays on hamlet.

Written as the author taught Hamlet every semester for a decade, these lightning essays ask big conceptual questions about the play with the urgency of a Shakespeare lover, and answer them with the rigor of a Shakespeare scholar. In doing so, Hamlet becomes a lens for life today, generating insights on everything from xenophobia, American fraternities, and religious fundamentalism to structural misogyny, suicide contagion, and toxic love.

Prioritizing close reading over historical context, these explorations are highly textual and highly theoretical, often philosophical, ethical, social, and political. Readers see King Hamlet as a pre-modern villain, King Claudius as a modern villain, and Prince Hamlet as a post-modern villain. Hamlet’s feigned madness becomes a window into failed insanity defenses in legal trials. He knows he’s being watched in “To be or not to be”: the soliloquy is a satire of philosophy. Horatio emerges as Shakespeare’s authorial avatar for meta-theatrical commentary, Fortinbras as the hero of the play. Fate becomes a viable concept for modern life, and honor a source of tragedy. The metaphor of music in the play makes Ophelia Hamlet’s instrument. Shakespeare, like the modern corporation, stands against sexism, yet perpetuates it unknowingly. We hear his thoughts on single parenting, sending children off to college, and the working class, plus his advice on acting and writing, and his claims to be the next Homer or Virgil. In the context of four centuries of Hamlet hate, we hear how the text draws audiences in, how it became so famous, and why it continues to captivate audiences.

At a time when the humanities are said to be in crisis, these essays are concrete examples of the mind-altering power of literature and literary studies, unravelling the ongoing implications of the English language’s most significant artistic object of the past millennium.

Publications

Why is Hamlet the most famous English artwork of the past millennium? Is it a sexist text? Why does Hamlet speak in prose? Why must he die? Does Hamlet depict revenge, or justice? How did the death of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, transform into a story about a son dealing with the death of a father? Did Shakespeare know Aristotle’s theory of tragedy? How did our literary icon, Shakespeare, see his literary icons, Homer and Virgil? Why is there so much comedy in Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy? Why is love a force of evil in the play? Did Shakespeare believe there’s a divinity that shapes our ends? How did he define virtue? What did he think about psychology? politics? philosophy? What was Shakespeare’s image of himself as an author? What can he, arguably the greatest writer of all time, teach us about our own writing? What was his theory of literature? Why do people like Hamlet ? How do the Hamlet haters of today compare to those of yesteryears? Is it dangerous for our children to read a play that’s all about suicide?

These are some of the questions asked in this book, a collection of essays on Shakespeare’s Hamlet stemming from my time teaching the play every semester in my Why Shakespeare? course at Harvard University. During this time, I saw a series of bright young minds from wildly diverse backgrounds find their footing in Hamlet, and it taught me a lot about how Shakespeare’s tragedy works, and why it remains with us in the modern world. Beyond ghosts, revenge, and tragedy, Hamlet is a play about being in college, being in love, gender, misogyny, friendship, theater, philosophy, theology, injustice, loss, comedy, depression, death, self-doubt, mental illness, white privilege, overbearing parents, existential angst, international politics, the classics, the afterlife, and the meaning of it all.

These essays grow from the central paradox of the play: it helps us understand the world we live in, yet we don't really understand the text itself very well. For all the attention given to Hamlet , there’s no consensus on the big questions—how it works, why it grips people so fiercely, what it’s about. These essays pose first-order questions about what happens in Hamlet and why, mobilizing answers for reflections on life, making the essays both highly textual and highly theoretical.

Each semester that I taught the play, I would write a new essay about Hamlet . They were meant to be models for students, the sort of essay that undergrads read and write – more rigorous than the puff pieces in the popular press, but riskier than the scholarship in most academic journals. While I later added scholarly outerwear, these pieces all began just like the essays I was assigning to students – as short close readings with a reader and a text and a desire to determine meaning when faced with a puzzling question or problem.

The turn from text to context in recent scholarly books about Hamlet is quizzical since we still don’t have a strong sense of, to quote the title of John Dover Wilson’s 1935 book, What Happens in Hamlet. Is the ghost real? Is Hamlet mad, or just faking? Why does he delay? These are the kinds of questions students love to ask, but they haven’t been – can’t be – answered by reading the play in the context of its sources (recently addressed in Laurie Johnson’s The Tain of Hamlet [2013]), its multiple texts (analyzed by Paul Menzer in The Hamlets [2008] and Zachary Lesser in Hamlet after Q1 [2015]), the Protestant reformation (the focus of Stephen Greenblatt’s Hamlet in Purgatory [2001] and John E. Curran, Jr.’s Hamlet, Protestantism, and the Mourning of Contingency [2006]), Renaissance humanism (see Rhodri Lewis, Hamlet and the Vision of Darkness [2017]), Elizabethan political theory (see Margreta de Grazia, Hamlet without Hamlet [2007]), the play’s reception history (see David Bevington, Murder Most Foul: Hamlet through the Ages [2011]), its appropriation by modern philosophers (covered in Simon Critchley and Jamieson Webster’s The Hamlet Doctrine [2013] and Andrew Cutrofello’s All for Nothing: Hamlet’s Negativity [2014]), or its recent global travels (addressed, for example, in Margaret Latvian’s Hamlet’s Arab Journey [2011] and Dominic Dromgoole’s Hamlet Globe to Globe [2017]).

Considering the context and afterlives of Hamlet is a worthy pursuit. I certainly consulted the above books for my essays, yet the confidence that comes from introducing context obscures the sharp panic we feel when confronting Shakespeare’s text itself. Even as the excellent recent book from Sonya Freeman Loftis, Allison Kellar, and Lisa Ulevich announces Hamlet has entered “an age of textual exhaustion,” there’s an odd tendency to avoid the text of Hamlet —to grasp for something more firm—when writing about it. There is a need to return to the text in a more immediate way to understand how Hamlet operates as a literary work, and how it can help us understand the world in which we live.

That latter goal, yes, clings nostalgically to the notion that literature can help us understand life. Questions about life send us to literature in search of answers. Those of us who love literature learn to ask and answer questions about it as we become professional literary scholars. But often our answers to the questions scholars ask of literature do not connect back up with the questions about life that sent us to literature in the first place—which are often philosophical, ethical, social, and political. Those first-order questions are diluted and avoided in the minutia of much scholarship, left unanswered. Thus, my goal was to pose questions about Hamlet with the urgency of a Shakespeare lover and to answer them with the rigor of a Shakespeare scholar.

In doing so, these essays challenge the conventional relationship between literature and theory. They pursue a kind of criticism where literature is not merely the recipient of philosophical ideas in the service of exegesis. Instead, the creative risks of literature provide exemplars to be theorized outward to help us understand on-going issues in life today. Beyond an occasion for the demonstration of existing theory, literature is a source for the creation of new theory.

Chapter One How Hamlet Works

Whether you love or hate Hamlet , you can acknowledge its massive popularity. So how does Hamlet work? How does it create audience enjoyment? Why is it so appealing, and to whom? Of all the available options, why Hamlet ? This chapter entertains three possible explanations for why the play is so popular in the modern world: the literary answer (as the English language’s best artwork about death—one of the very few universal human experiences in a modern world increasingly marked by cultural differences— Hamlet is timeless); the theatrical answer (with its mixture of tragedy and comedy, the role of Hamlet requires the best actor of each age, and the play’s popularity derives from the celebrity of its stars); and the philosophical answer (the play invites, encourages, facilitates, and sustains philosophical introspection and conversation from people who do not usually do such things, who find themselves doing those things with Hamlet , who sometimes feel embarrassed about doing those things, but who ultimately find the experience of having done them rewarding).

Chapter Two “It Started Like a Guilty Thing”: The Beginning of Hamlet and the Beginning of Modern Politics

King Hamlet is a tyrant and King Claudius a traitor but, because Shakespeare asked us to experience the events in Hamlet from the perspective of the young Prince Hamlet, we are much more inclined to detect and detest King Claudius’s political failings than King Hamlet’s. If so, then Shakespeare’s play Hamlet , so often seen as the birth of modern psychology, might also tell us a little bit about the beginnings of modern politics as well.

Chapter Three Horatio as Author: Storytelling and Stoic Tragedy

This chapter addresses Horatio’s emotionlessness in light of his role as a narrator, using this discussion to think about Shakespeare’s motives for writing tragedy in the wake of his son’s death. By rationalizing pain and suffering as tragedy, both Horatio and Shakespeare were able to avoid the self-destruction entailed in Hamlet’s emotional response to life’s hardships and injustices. Thus, the stoic Horatio, rather than the passionate Hamlet who repeatedly interrupts ‘The Mousetrap’, is the best authorial avatar for a Shakespeare who strategically wrote himself and his own voice out of his works. This argument then expands into a theory of ‘authorial catharsis’ and the suggestion that we can conceive of Shakespeare as a ‘poet of reason’ in contrast to a ‘poet of emotion’.

Chapter Four “To thine own self be true”: What Shakespeare Says about Sending Our Children Off to College

What does “To thine own self be true” actually mean? Be yourself? Don’t change who you are? Follow your own convictions? Don’t lie to yourself? This chapter argues that, if we understand meaning as intent, then “To thine own self be true” means, paradoxically, that “the self” does not exist. Or, more accurately, Shakespeare’s Hamlet implies that “the self” exists only as a rhetorical, philosophical, and psychological construct that we use to make sense of our experiences and actions in the world, not as anything real. If this is so, then this passage may offer us a way of thinking about Shakespeare as not just a playwright but also a moral philosopher, one who did his ethics in drama.

Chapter Five In Defense of Polonius

Your wife dies. You raise two children by yourself. You build a great career to provide for your family. You send your son off to college in another country, though you know he’s not ready. Now the prince wants to marry your daughter—that’s not easy to navigate. Then—get this—while you’re trying to save the queen’s life, the prince murders you. Your death destroys your kids. They die tragically. And what do you get for your efforts? Centuries of Shakespeare scholars dumping on you. If we see Polonius not through the eyes of his enemy, Prince Hamlet—the point of view Shakespeare’s play asks audiences to adopt—but in analogy to the common challenges of twenty-first-century parenting, Polonius is a single father struggling with work-life balance who sadly choses his career over his daughter’s well-being.

Chapter Six Sigma Alpha Elsinore: The Culture of Drunkenness in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Claudius likes to party—a bit too much. He frequently binge drinks, is arguably an alcoholic, but not an aberration. Hamlet says Denmark is internationally known for heavy drinking. That’s what Shakespeare would have heard in the sixteenth century. By the seventeenth, English writers feared Denmark had taught their nation its drinking habits. Synthesizing criticism on alcoholism as an individual problem in Shakespeare’s texts and times with scholarship on national drinking habits in the early-modern age, this essay asks what the tragedy of alcoholism looks like when located not on the level of the individual, but on the level of a culture, as Shakespeare depicted in Hamlet. One window into these early-modern cultures of drunkenness is sociological studies of American college fraternities, especially the social-learning theories that explain how one person—one culture—teaches another its habits. For Claudius’s alcoholism is both culturally learned and culturally significant. And, as in fraternities, alcoholism in Hamlet is bound up with wealth, privilege, toxic masculinity, and tragedy. Thus, alcohol imagistically reappears in the vial of “cursed hebona,” Ophelia’s liquid death, and the poisoned cup in the final scene—moments that stand out in recent performances and adaptations with alcoholic Claudiuses and Gertrudes.

Chapter Seven Tragic Foundationalism

This chapter puts the modern philosopher Alain Badiou’s theory of foundationalism into dialogue with the early-modern playwright William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet . Doing so allows us to identify a new candidate for Hamlet’s traditionally hard-to-define hamartia – i.e., his “tragic mistake” – but it also allows us to consider the possibility of foundationalism as hamartia. Tragic foundationalism is the notion that fidelity to a single and substantive truth at the expense of an openness to evidence, reason, and change is an acute mistake which can lead to miscalculations of fact and virtue that create conflict and can end up in catastrophic destruction and the downfall of otherwise strong and noble people.

Chapter Eight “As a stranger give it welcome”: Shakespeare’s Advice for First-Year College Students

Encountering a new idea can be like meeting a strange person for the first time. Similarly, we dismiss new ideas before we get to know them. There is an answer to the problem of the human antipathy to strangeness in a somewhat strange place: a single line usually overlooked in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet . If the ghost is “wondrous strange,” Hamlet says, invoking the ancient ethics of hospitality, “Therefore as a stranger give it welcome.” In this word, strange, and the social conventions attached to it, is both the instinctual, animalistic fear and aggression toward what is new and different (the problem) and a cultivated, humane response in hospitality and curiosity (the solution). Intellectual xenia is the answer to intellectual xenophobia.

Chapter Nine Parallels in Hamlet

Hamlet is more parallely than other texts. Fortinbras, Hamlet, and Laertes have their fathers murdered, then seek revenge. Brothers King Hamlet and King Claudius mirror brothers Old Norway and Old Fortinbras. Hamlet and Ophelia both lose their fathers, go mad, but there’s a method in their madness, and become suicidal. King Hamlet and Polonius are both domineering fathers. Hamlet and Polonius are both scholars, actors, verbose, pedantic, detectives using indirection, spying upon others, “by indirections find directions out." King Hamlet and King Claudius are both kings who are killed. Claudius using Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet mirrors Polonius using Reynaldo to spy on Laertes. Reynaldo and Hamlet both pretend to be something other than what they are in order to spy on and detect foes. Young Fortinbras and Prince Hamlet both have their forward momentum “arrest[ed].” Pyrrhus and Hamlet are son seeking revenge but paused a “neutral to his will.” The main plot of Hamlet reappears in the play-within-the-play. The Act I duel between King Hamlet and Old Fortinbras echoes in the Act V duel between Hamlet and Laertes. Claudius and Hamlet are both king killers. Sheesh—why are there so many dang parallels in Hamlet ? Is there some detectable reason why the story of Hamlet would call for the literary device of parallelism?

Chapter Ten Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: Why Hamlet Has Two Childhood Friends, Not Just One

Why have two of Hamlet’s childhood friends rather than just one? Do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have individuated personalities? First of all, by increasing the number of friends who visit Hamlet, Shakespeare creates an atmosphere of being outnumbered, of multiple enemies encroaching upon Hamlet, of Hamlet feeling that the world is against him. Second, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are not interchangeable, as commonly thought. Shakespeare gave each an individuated personality. Guildenstern is friendlier with Hamlet, and their friendship collapses, while Rosencrantz is more distant and devious—a frenemy.

Chapter Eleven Shakespeare on the Classics, Shakespeare as a Classic: A Reading of Aeneas’s Tale to Dido

Of all the stories Shakespeare might have chosen, why have Hamlet ask the players to recite Aeneas’ tale to Dido of Pyrrhus’s slaughter of Priam? In this story, which comes not from Homer’s Iliad but from Virgil’s Aeneid and had already been adapted for the Elizabethan stage in Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragedy of Dido, Pyrrhus – more commonly known as Neoptolemus, the son of the famous Greek warrior Achilles – savagely slays Priam, the king of the Trojans and the father of Paris, who killed Pyrrhus’s father, Achilles, who killed Paris’s brother, Hector, who killed Achilles’s comrade, Patroclus. Clearly, the theme of revenge at work in this story would have appealed to Shakespeare as he was writing what would become the greatest revenge tragedy of all time. Moreover, Aeneas’s tale to Dido supplied Shakespeare with all of the connections he sought to make at this crucial point in his play and his career – connections between himself and Marlowe, between the start of Hamlet and the end, between Prince Hamlet and King Claudius, between epic poetry and tragic drama, and between the classical literature Shakespeare was still reading hundreds of years later and his own potential as a classic who might (and would) be read hundreds of years into the future.

Chapter Twelve How Theater Works, according to Hamlet

According to Hamlet, people who are guilty of a crime will, when seeing that crime represented on stage, “proclaim [their] malefactions”—but that simply isn’t how theater works. Guilty people sit though shows that depict their crimes all the time without being prompted to public confession. Why did Shakespeare—a remarkably observant student of theater—write this demonstrably false theory of drama into his protagonist? And why did Shakespeare then write the plot of the play to affirm that obviously inaccurate vision of theater? For Claudius is indeed stirred to confession by the play-within-the-play. Perhaps Hamlet’s theory of people proclaiming malefactions upon seeing their crimes represented onstage is not as outlandish as it first appears. Perhaps four centuries of obsession with Hamlet is the English-speaking world proclaiming its malefactions upon seeing them represented dramatically.

Chapter Thirteen “To be, or not to be”: Shakespeare Against Philosophy

This chapter hazards a new reading of the most famous passage in Western literature: “To be, or not to be” from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet . With this line, Hamlet poses his personal struggle, a question of life and death, as a metaphysical problem, as a question of existence and nothingness. However, “To be, or not to be” is not what it seems to be. It seems to be a representation of tragic angst, yet a consideration of the context of the speech reveals that “To be, or not to be” is actually a satire of philosophy and Shakespeare’s representation of the theatricality of everyday life. In this chapter, a close reading of the context and meaning of this passage leads into an attempt to formulate a Shakespearean image of philosophy.

Chapter Fourteen Contagious Suicide in and Around Hamlet

As in society today, suicide is contagious in Hamlet , at least in the example of Ophelia, the only death by suicide in the play, because she only becomes suicidal after hearing Hamlet talk about his own suicidal thoughts in “To be, or not to be.” Just as there are media guidelines for reporting on suicide, there are better and worse ways of handling Hamlet . Careful suicide coverage can change public misperceptions and reduce suicide contagion. Is the same true for careful literary criticism and classroom discussion of suicide texts? How can teachers and literary critics reduce suicide contagion and increase help-seeking behavior?

Chapter Fifteen Is Hamlet a Sexist Text? Overt Misogyny vs. Unconscious Bias

Students and fans of Shakespeare’s Hamlet persistently ask a question scholars and critics of the play have not yet definitively answered: is it a sexist text? The author of this text has been described as everything from a male chauvinist pig to a trailblazing proto-feminist, but recent work on the science behind discrimination and prejudice offers a new, better vocabulary in the notion of unconscious bias. More pervasive and slippery than explicit bigotry, unconscious bias involves the subtle, often unintentional words and actions which indicate the presence of biases we may not be aware of, ones we may even fight against. The Shakespeare who wrote Hamlet exhibited an unconscious bias against women, I argue, even as he sought to critique the mistreatment of women in a patriarchal society. The evidence for this unconscious bias is not to be found in the misogynistic statements made by the characters in the play. It exists, instead, in the demonstrable preference Shakespeare showed for men over women when deciding where to deploy his literary talents. Thus, Shakespeare's Hamlet is a powerful literary example – one which speaks to, say, the modern corporation – showing that deliberate efforts for egalitarianism do not insulate one from the effects of structural inequalities that both stem from and create unconscious bias.

Chapter Sixteen Style and Purpose in Acting and Writing

Purpose and style are connected in academic writing. To answer the question of style ( How should we write academic papers? ) we must first answer the question of purpose ( Why do we write academic papers? ). We can answer these questions, I suggest, by turning to an unexpected style guide that’s more than 400 years old: the famous passage on “the purpose of playing” in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet . In both acting and writing, a high style often accompanies an expressive purpose attempting to impress an elite audience yet actually alienating intellectual people, while a low style and mimetic purpose effectively engage an intellectual audience.

Chapter Seventeen 13 Ways of Looking at a Ghost

Why doesn’t Gertrude see the Ghost of King Hamlet in Act III, even though Horatio, Bernardo, Francisco, Marcellus, and Prince Hamlet all saw it in Act I? It’s a bit embarrassing that Shakespeare scholars don’t have a widely agreed-upon consensus that explains this really basic question that puzzles a lot of people who read or see Hamlet .

Chapter Eighteen The Tragedy of Love in Hamlet

The word “love” appears 84 times in Shakespeare’s Hamlet . “Father” only appears 73 times, “play” 60, “think” 55, “mother” 46, “mad” 44, “soul” 40, “God" 39, “death” 38, “life” 34, “nothing” 28, “son” 26, “honor” 21, “spirit” 19, “kill” 18, “revenge” 14, and “action” 12. Love isn’t the first theme that comes to mind when we think of Hamlet , but is surprisingly prominent. But love is tragic in Hamlet . The bloody catastrophe at the end of that play is principally driven not by hatred or a longing for revenge, but by love.

Chapter Nineteen Ophelia’s Songs: Moral Agency, Manipulation, and the Metaphor of Music in Hamlet

This chapter reads Ophelia’s songs in Act IV of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the context of the meaning of music established elsewhere in the play. While the songs are usually seen as a marker of Ophelia’s madness (as a result of the death of her father) or freedom (from the constraints of patriarchy), they come – when read in light of the metaphor of music as manipulation – to symbolize her role as a pawn in Hamlet’s efforts to deceive his family. Thus, music was Shakespeare’s platform for connecting Ophelia’s story to one of the central questions in Hamlet : Do we have control over our own actions (like the musician), or are we controlled by others (like the instrument)?

Chapter Twenty A Quantitative Study of Prose and Verse in Hamlet

Why does Hamlet have so much prose? Did Shakespeare deliberately shift from verse to prose to signal something to his audiences? How would actors have handled the shifts from verse to prose? Would audiences have detected shifts from verse to prose? Is there an overarching principle that governs Shakespeare’s decision to use prose—a coherent principle that says, “If X, then use prose?”

Chapter Twenty-One The Fortunes of Fate in Hamlet : Divine Providence and Social Determinism

In Hamlet , fate is attacked from both sides: “fortune” presents a world of random happenstance, “will” a theory of efficacious human action. On this backdrop, this essay considers—irrespective of what the characters say and believe—what the structure and imagery Shakespeare wrote into Hamlet say about the possibility that some version of fate is at work in the play. I contend the world of Hamlet is governed by neither fate nor fortune, nor even the Christianized version of fate called “providence.” Yet there is a modern, secular, disenchanted form of fate at work in Hamlet—what is sometimes called “social determinism”—which calls into question the freedom of the individual will. As such, Shakespeare’s Hamlet both commented on the transformation of pagan fate into Christian providence that happened in the centuries leading up to the play, and anticipated the further transformation of fate from a theological to a sociological idea, which occurred in the centuries following Hamlet .

Chapter Twenty-Two The Working Class in Hamlet

There’s a lot for working-class folks to hate about Hamlet —not just because it’s old, dusty, difficult to understand, crammed down our throats in school, and filled with frills, tights, and those weird lace neck thingies that are just socially awkward to think about. Peak Renaissance weirdness. Claustrophobicly cloistered inside the castle of Elsinore, quaintly angsty over royal family problems, Hamlet feels like the literary epitome of elitism. “Lawless resolutes” is how the Wittenberg scholar Horatio describes the soldiers who join Fortinbras’s army in exchange “for food.” The Prince Hamlet who has never worked a day in his life denigrates Polonius as a “fishmonger”: quite the insult for a royal advisor to be called a working man. And King Claudius complains of the simplicity of "the distracted multitude.” But, in Hamlet , Shakespeare juxtaposed the nobles’ denigrations of the working class as readily available metaphors for all-things-awful with the rather valuable behavior of working-class characters themselves. When allowed to represent themselves, the working class in Hamlet are characterized as makers of things—of material goods and services like ships, graves, and plays, but also of ethical and political virtues like security, education, justice, and democracy. Meanwhile, Elsinore has a bad case of affluenza, the make-believe disease invented by an American lawyer who argued that his client's social privilege was so great that it created an obliviousness to law. While social elites rot society through the twin corrosives of political corruption and scholarly detachment, the working class keeps the machine running. They build the ships, plays, and graves society needs to function, and monitor the nuts-and-bolts of the ideals—like education and justice—that we aspire to uphold.

Chapter Twenty-Three The Honor Code at Harvard and in Hamlet

Students at Harvard College are asked, when they first join the school and several times during their years there, to affirm their awareness of and commitment to the school’s honor code. But instead of “the foundation of our community” that it is at Harvard, honor is tragic in Hamlet —a source of anxiety, blunder, and catastrophe. As this chapter shows, looking at Hamlet from our place at Harvard can bring us to see what a tangled knot honor can be, and we can start to theorize the difference between heroic and tragic honor.

Chapter Twenty-Four The Meaning of Death in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

By connecting the ways characters live their lives in Hamlet to the ways they die – on-stage or off, poisoned or stabbed, etc. – Shakespeare symbolized hamartia in catastrophe. In advancing this argument, this chapter develops two supporting ideas. First, the dissemination of tragic necessity: Shakespeare distributed the Aristotelian notion of tragic necessity – a causal relationship between a character’s hamartia (fault or error) and the catastrophe at the end of the play – from the protagonist to the other characters, such that, in Hamlet , those who are guilty must die, and those who die are guilty. Second, the spectacularity of death: there exists in Hamlet a positive correlation between the severity of a character’s hamartia (error or flaw) and the “spectacularity” of his or her death – that is, the extent to which it is presented as a visible and visceral spectacle on-stage.

Chapter Twenty-Five Tragic Excess in Hamlet

In Hamlet , Shakespeare paralleled the situations of Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras (the father of each is killed, and each then seeks revenge) to promote the virtue of moderation: Hamlet moves too slowly, Laertes too swiftly – and they both die at the end of the play – but Fortinbras represents a golden mean which marries the slowness of Hamlet with the swiftness of Laertes. As argued in this essay, Shakespeare endorsed the virtue of balance by allowing Fortinbras to be one of the very few survivors of the play. In other words, excess is tragic in Hamlet .

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The roguish ghost of John Barrymore takes the stage in Theatre Lawrence’s ‘I Hate Hamlet’

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Jim Tuchscherer, center, Brandon Stevens, right, and Dan Phillips rehearse "I Hate Hamlet" Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Theatre Lawrence.

Shakespearean drama isn’t really Theatre Lawrence’s thing — don’t expect to see Lady Macbeth wringing her guilty hands in West Lawrence — but having fun with Shakespeare most certainly is.

In the last few years, the community theater has produced “Something Rotten,” a musical farce centered on the bard, and “The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged),” a whirlwind romp through Shakespeare’s three dozen plays.

And now the theater is putting on Paul Rudnick’s “I Hate Hamlet,” a two-act play about an actor’s attempt to play the brooding prince of Denmark.

But don’t feel like you have to brush up on your 16th century vocabulary. The play is set in the ’90s, when people wore “pleated-front pants,” making the show “basically a period” comedy in the view of James Diemer, Theatre Lawrence’s set designer.

“It’s funny!” Diemer says of the production. “People hear ‘Shakespeare’ and they go ‘eek! I don’t want to have to think. I don’t want to have to confront this language in this way. I don’t want these heavy themes and this deep and intense drama.'”

But in no way is watching this show like watching Shakespeare, says Diemer, himself a big Shakespeare enthusiast. “It’s a very different experience.”

And yet some of that “intense” stuff still sneaks in, albeit in a more accessible way.

Instead of confronting the eerie ghost of Hamlet’s father in a Danish castle, the audience will confront the inebriated ghost of John Barrymore (played by Jim Tuchscherer) in his Gothic New York apartment, where he has materialized via a séance to help TV actor Andrew Rally (played by Brandon Stevens) learn the role of Hamlet and, in the process, the “glory” of Shakespeare.

Cast members in “I Hate Hamlet” rehearse Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Theatre Lawrence.

In the spirit of Elizabethan drama, the play features dueling desires (in this case, to be a rich TV star or a happy stage actor?); slowly dawning self-awareness; complicated love interests; and a flamboyantly roguish elder, Barrymore, whose sense of fun keeps life’s slings and arrows in perspective.

Upon being informed that he’s dead, Barrymore expresses doubt: “Am I dead? Or just incredibly drunk?”

There’s also, fittingly, a sword fight, the chaos of which demands some precise choreography as well as some inventive prop design, Diemer says.

“When the playwright (asks you) to break a lamp and a vase and a couch every night,” you have to get creative.

Ditto when a principal character is a ghost who is not visible to certain characters on stage. Not reacting to something in your field of vision, let alone something that’s touching you, can be a challenge.

John Barrymore

Barrymore, of course, was a real person, adding a layer of interest to the production. Known for his good looks — and nicknamed “The Great Profile” — he delivered a renowned performance as Hamlet in the 1920s, but in later life he became the proverbial has-been with a string of ex-wives, drunken escapades and money woes.

As one would expect, it’s tremendous “fun” to play him.

So says Tuchscherer, who auditioned for the role out of a fondness for the character’s outsized presence. In the play Barrymore’s protégé, Rally, describes him with the cliche “larger than life,” to which Barrymore responds: “What size would you prefer?”

John Barrymore as Hamlet, 1922

One of Tuchscherer’s favorite lines in the play is when Barrymore, with an appropriately grand gesture, denies overacting: “I do not overact. I simply possess the emotional resources of ten men. I am not a ham; I’m a crowd!”

“The great thing about the role is getting to play with all those different emotions,” Tuchscherer says.

Another great thing is getting to act on the set designed by Diemer, which Tuchscherer calls “genius.”

Jim Tuchscherer, right, and Brandon Stevens rehearse “I Hate Hamlet” Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Theatre Lawrence.

The setting for the two-act play is inspired by Barrymore’s real-life apartment in a New York brownstone, which Rudnick actually lived in before writing “I Hate Hamlet.”

“The apartment’s architecture is highly theatrical, a Gothic mélange of oak beams and plank floors,” Rudnick writes in the stage directions. Above all, he says, it must be “exceedingly romantic and old world, a Manhattan interpretation of a King Arthur domicile.”

Those words were especially alluring to Diemer, who has designed more than a few typical apartment living rooms for the stage, which he notes can get “pretty repetitive.”

A particular challenge with the Barrymore set is that from Act 1 to Act 2 it changes drastically with the main character’s development, he says.

“It’s really one structure, but two totally different scene designs,” Diemer says, referring to the redecoration of the entire space that takes place during the short intermission.

“I just think it’s great fun,” Tuchscherer says of Diemer’s set and the play as a whole, including fellow actors Stevens, Allison Waymire, Isabel Warden, Diane Wurzer and Dan Phillips.

“There’s no great moral story to tell from it,” he says, then — perhaps under Barrymore’s spell — he reconsiders a bit. “They use the word ‘glory’ (in the play), and it kind of dives into that notion of why do we do anything that brings us joy and allows us to express some of our passion?”

So, for the audience, he says, there actually is a moral, and it’s “to do whatever you feel passionate about — and also, to come see me in my tights.”

“I Hate Hamlet,” directed by Theatre Lawrence’s executive director Jamie Ulmer, opens Friday at 4660 Bauer Farm Drive and will have multiple performances through April 28. For information about tickets, call 785-843-SHOW (7469) or go online at theatrelawrence.com .

Jim Tuchscherer, left, and Brandon Stevens rehearse “I Hate Hamlet” Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Theatre Lawrence.

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Taylor Swift’s ‘Poets’ Arrives With a Promotional Blitz (and a Second LP)

The pop superstar’s latest album was preceded by a satellite radio channel, a word game, a return to TikTok and an actual library. For her fans, more is always welcome.

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The album cover for Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” which depicts the star lying on pillows in sleepwear, draping her arms over her body.

By Ben Sisario

Taylor Swift was already the most ubiquitous pop star in the galaxy, her presence dominating the music charts, the concert calendar, the Super Bowl, the Grammys.

Then it came time for her to promote a new album.

In the days leading up to the release of “The Tortured Poets Department” on Friday, Swift became all but inescapable, online and seemingly everywhere else. Her lyrics were the basis for an Apple Music word game . A Spotify-sponsored, Swift-branded “ library installation ,” in muted pink and gray, popped up in a shopping complex in Los Angeles. In Chicago, a QR code painted on a brick wall directed fans to another Easter egg on YouTube. Videos on Swift’s social media accounts, showing antique typewriters and globes with pins, were dissected for clues about her music. SiriusXM added a Swift radio station; of course it’s called Channel 13 (Taylor’s Version).

About the only thing Swift didn’t do was an interview with a journalist.

At this stage in Swift’s career, an album release is more than just a moment to sell music; it’s all but a given that “The Tortured Poets Department” will open with gigantic sales numbers, many of them for “ghost white,” “phantom clear” and other collector-ready vinyl variants . More than that, the album’s arrival is a test of the celebrity-industrial complex overall, with tech platforms and media outlets racing to capture whatever piece of the fan frenzy they can get.

Threads, the newish social media platform from Meta, primed Swifties for their idol’s arrival there, and offered fans who shared Swift’s first Threads post a custom badge. Swift stunned the music industry last week by breaking ranks with her record label, Universal, and returning her music to TikTok, which Universal and other industry groups have said pays far too little in royalties. Overnight, TikTok unveiled “The Ultimate Taylor Swift In-App Experience,” offering fans digital goodies like a “Tortured Poets-inspired animation” on their feed.

Before the album’s release on Friday, Swift revealed that a music video — for “Fortnight,” the first single, featuring Post Malone — would arrive on Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern time. At 2 a.m., she had another surprise: 15 more songs. “I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you,” she wrote in a social media post , bringing “The Anthology” edition of the album to 31 tracks.

“The Tortured Poets Department,” which Swift, 34, announced in a Grammy acceptance speech in February — she had the Instagram post ready to go — lands as Swift’s profile continues to rise to ever-higher levels of cultural saturation.

Her Eras Tour , begun last year, has been a global phenomenon, crashing Ticketmaster and lifting local economies ; by some estimates, it might bring in as much as $2 billion in ticket sales — by far a new record — before it ends later this year. Swift’s romance with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been breathlessly tracked from its first flirtations last summer to their smooch on the Super Bowl field in February. The mere thought that Swift might endorse a presidential candidate this year sent conspiracy-minded politicos reeling .

“The Tortured Poets Department” — don’t even ask about the missing apostrophe — arrived accompanied by a poem written by Stevie Nicks that begins, “He was in love with her/Or at least she thought so.” That establishes what many fans correctly anticipated as the album’s theme of heartbreak and relationship rot, Swift’s signature topic. “I love you/It’s ruining my life,” she sings on “Fortnight.”

Fans were especially primed for the fifth track, “So Long, London,” given that (1) Swift has said she often sequences her most vulnerable and emotionally intense songs fifth on an LP, and (2) the title suggested it may be about Joe Alwyn, the English actor who was Swift’s boyfriend for about six years, reportedly until early 2023 . Indeed, “So Long” is an epic breakup tune, with lines like “You left me at the house by the heath” and “I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free.” Tracks from the album leaked on Wednesday, and fans have also interpreted some songs as being about Matty Healy , the frontman of the band the 1975, whom Swift was briefly linked to last year.

The album’s title song starts with a classic Swift detail of a memento from a lost love: “You left your typewriter at my apartment/Straight from the tortured poets department.” It also name-drops Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith and, somewhat surprisingly given that company, Charlie Puth, the singer-songwriter who crooned the hook on Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” a No. 1 hit in 2015. (Swift has praised Wiz Khalifa and that song in the past.)

Other big moments include “Florida!!!,” featuring Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, in which Swift declares — after seven big percussive bangs — that the state “is one hell of a drug.” Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, the producers and songwriters who have been Swift’s primary collaborators in recent years, both worked on “Tortured Poets,” bringing their signature mix of moody, pulsating electronic tracks and delicate acoustic moments, like a bare piano on “Loml” (as in “love of my life”).

As the ninth LP Swift has released in five years, “Tortured Poets” is the latest entry in a remarkable creative streak. That includes five new studio albums and four rerecordings of her old music — each of which sailed to No. 1. When Swift played SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles in August, she spoke from the stage about her recording spurt, saying that the forced break from touring during the Covid-19 pandemic had spurred her to connect with fans by releasing more music.

“And so I decided, in order to keep that connection going,” she said , “if I couldn’t play live shows with you, I was going to make and release as many albums as humanly possible.”

That was two albums ago.

Ben Sisario covers the music industry. He has been writing for The Times since 1998. More about Ben Sisario

Inside the World of Taylor Swift

A Triumph at the Grammys: Taylor Swift made history by winning her fourth album of the year at the 2024 edition of the awards, an event that saw women take many of the top awards .

‘The T ortured Poets Department’: Poets reacted to Swift’s new album name , weighing in on the pertinent question: What do the tortured poets think ?

In the Public Eye: The budding romance between Swift and the football player Travis Kelce created a monocultural vortex that reached its apex at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Ahead of kickoff, we revisited some key moments in their relationship .

Politics (Taylor’s Version): After months of anticipation, Swift made her first foray into the 2024 election for Super Tuesday with a bipartisan message on Instagram . The singer, who some believe has enough influence to affect the result of the election , has yet to endorse a presidential candidate.

Conspiracy Theories: In recent months, conspiracy theories about Swift and her relationship with Kelce have proliferated , largely driven by supporters of former President Donald Trump . The pop star's fans are shaking them off .

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The Ghost Character Analysis in Hamlet
True to Horatio's account of the King's personality, the Ghost is pragmatic and specific about how he delivers his message of revenge. He speaks only to Hamlet and makes sure to get his son alone before they converse. He begins by asking Hamlet to pay careful attention to his message and confirm his identity as the spirit of Hamlet's father.
Consideration of the Ghost in "Hamlet" by Shakespeare Essay
Although the Ghost causes tragedy, its role is very important because it tells the truth, motivates Hamlet, and makes Hamlet overcome his sorrow. The story of Hamlet proceeds with Hamlet's revenge and ends with a bloodbath because Hamlet hurries the revenge and acts hastily. The Ghost did the right thing in pointing Hamlet to the truth about ...
The Ghost Character Analysis in Hamlet
An otherworldly presence that visits Hamlet early on in the play. The ghost appears to Hamlet as his father, though alternate readings of the play allow for the possibilities that the ghost may be a figment of Hamlet's imagination, a malevolent demon seeking to derail Hamlet's life, or even an actor working on Claudius 's behalf in an attempt to drive Hamlet mad and exclude him from the ...
Ghost of King Hamlet by Shakespeare
Introduction to Shakespeare's "Hamlet". "Hamlet," written by William Shakespeare in the early 17th century, is one of his most famous works. It tells the story of Prince Hamlet of Denmark, who seeks revenge against his uncle Claudius for murdering his father, King Hamlet, and usurping the throne.
The Role of The Ghost in "Hamlet" by Shakespeare
The Ghost, Hamlet, Shakespeare. The ghost is thus an integral part of the structural design of the play. It provides the hero with revenge and thus initiates the tragic action. The ghost is indispensable from the plot's viewpoint, which hinges on the secret revealed by it to Hamlet. How The Ghost's Appearance Impacted Hamlet's Mind
Hamlet's Relationship with the Ghost
Hamlet's Relationship with the Ghost From Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear by Alexander W. Crawford. Boston R.G. Badger. The ghost in Hamlet no doubt performs an important dramatic function. Whatever may have been Shakespeare's belief about ghosts he utilizes the popular conception to render objective what ...
Ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet: Analysis
English. Ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet: Analysis. "Hamlet" is a play composed by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1601 that was first published in 1603. The drama depicts astonishingly realistic periods of true and created insanity ranging from profound sorrow to rage while also dealing with problems such as betrayal, vengeance ...
The Role of The Ghost in Hamlet: Unveiling The Mysteries
William Shakespeare's iconic play "Hamlet" intricately intertwines the physical and the supernatural to delve deep into the human psyche, the dynamics of complex familial relationships, and the intricacies of morality.Central to this narrative is "the role of the ghost in Hamlet," a manifestation that arguably sets the trajectory of the events that unfold in this tragic story.
The Significance of the Ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet
The Ghost's call for justice becomes a call for the restoration of moral order in a world plagued by deceit and treachery. In conclusion, the Ghost in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is a character of immense dramatic significance, serving as a source of mystery, fear, and moral guidance. Its presence shapes the course of the play, driving Hamlet to ...
What is the Ghost's role in Hamlet?
The ghost in Hamlet serves several purposes. Shakespeare uses the ghost to introduce the supernatural into the play. It is through the ghost that information from beyond the grave comes to Hamlet ...
Hamlet's Ghost: A Review Article Greenblatt, Stephen
But the absence of Hamlet's Ghost from the end of the play seriously undermines Greenblatt's main line of argument. 6. In defending his thesis of ambiguity, Greenblatt discusses what might be called the Protestant elements of Hamlet (240-244), notably Hamlet's skepticism about the Ghost that motivates the staging of the play within the ...
The Importance of The Ghost in Hamlet
Dr. Francis Maurice Egan's essay (The Ghost in Hamlet, 1906) stands by itself as a discriminating study in which the ghost is constantly kept in the foreground. The distinction, however, which Dr. Egan draws between the exalted mission of the ghost, seeking only the salvation of Denmark and the preservation of his royal line, and Hamlet's ...
Free Essay: The Ghost in Hamlet
The Ghost in Hamlet. In every rendition of "Hamlet", Hamlet's father the "Ghost, has played a key role to the downfall of Hamlet's character. He's introduced in the beginning of 'Hamlet', triggering the up roar of the kingdom. Due to his sudden death, the kingdom is supposedly to be in distress but Claudius reassured everyone ...
Hamlet Essay
The Dishonest Ghost in "Hamlet". Shakespeare has always been able to create characters richly dichotomous in nature. In "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," the portrayal of the ghost of Hamlet's father vacillates through the play from Hamlet's uncertainty of whether "it is an honest ghost" (144, l.5) or "a goblin damned" (40, l.4).
The Role Of The Ghost In Shakespeare's Hamlet
The ghost in "Hamlet" is a catholic element because it is a dead man spirit that comes from purgatory. Purgatory in the catholic religion is a space between heaven and hell. Purgatory is a waiting area for the dead people to be called on the day of judgement. In the catholic belief if somebody died unexpectedly by murder this dead person ...
The Ghost In Hamlet Essay
Act 1 of Hamlet, written by Shakespeare, begins with two sentienals discussing how the dead king of Denmark has appeared to them in the past two nights as a ghost, dissappearing quickly each time. Tonight, they have brought along Horatio, a wise scholar, to witness the ghost. The ghost appears, then quickly dissappears.
The Symbolism of the ghost in William Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
This essay, will analyze the crucial role of the Ghost in the Shakespearean play of Hamlet, how it affects but also helps in the development of the play's narrative and also how it actually affects the characters who participate in this story. The whole essay, is divided in one main unit/title and three sub-units/subtitles.
Hamlet Ghost Essay
Essay On Ghost In Hamlet. The play Hamlet is considered a tragedy, in which William Shakespeare is known for writing. Throughout Hamlet numerous evens occur that leads to the determining factor of Hamlet being a tragedy. However, the main event to occur would be the death of King Hamlet, Hamlet's father. It is indicated periodically that ...
What is the significance of the ghost in Hamlet? How would an
Hamlet created around 1600 was one of Shakespeare's longest and perplexing plays to be written. Like many of Shakespeare's plays, Hamlet focuses on the theme of revenge-tragedy, romance and corruption. Also the idea of supernatural was very popular amongst the audience during the 16 th century, thus the creating of the ghost within Hamlet ...
Exploring Ghost in Hamlet
The semantic field of the biblical Garden of Eden, used in the Ghost's speech in Act 1 Scene 5, is a key literary device which Shakespeare cleverly uses to help the mainly Protestant audience fully understand the profound impact the ghost's order has on Hamlet.
The ghost in Hamlet, and other essays in comparative literature
The ghost in Hamlet.--Some phases of Shakespearean interpretation.--Some pedagogical uses of Shakespeare.--Lyrism in Shakespeare's comedies.--The puzzle of Hamlet.--The greatest of Shakespeare's contemporaries.--Imitators of Shakespeare.--The comparative method in literature.--A definition of literature.--The ebb and flow of romance
The Dishonesty of The Ghost in Hamlet
In "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," the portrayal of the ghost of Hamlet's father vacillates through the play from Hamlet's uncertainty of whether "it is an honest ghost" (144, l.5) or "a goblin damned" (40, l.4). In one sense, the ghost is honest in that he tells Hamlet the truth about his own murder Claudius is truly guilty.
Essays on Hamlet
Essays on Hamlet. Written as the author taught Hamlet every semester for a decade, these lightning essays ask big conceptual questions about the play with the urgency of a Shakespeare lover, and answer them with the rigor of a Shakespeare scholar. In doing so, Hamlet becomes a lens for life today, generating insights on everything from ...
The roguish ghost of John Barrymore takes the stage in Theatre Lawrence
Instead of confronting the eerie ghost of Hamlet's father in a Danish castle, the audience will confront the inebriated ghost of John Barrymore (played by Jim Tuchscherer) in his Gothic New York ...
Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Arrives
Overnight, TikTok unveiled "The Ultimate Taylor Swift In-App Experience," offering fans digital goodies like a "Tortured Poets-inspired animation" on their feed. Before the album's ...

Consideration of the Ghost in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare Essay

Works Cited

William Shakespeare

Ghost of King Hamlet by Shakespeare | Summary & Character Analysis

Introduction to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

Brief Overview of King Hamlet’s Character

The Ghost of King Hamlet: Introduction

The Purpose of the Ghost’s Appearance

Significance of the Ghost in the Plot

Revelation of Secrets

Character Analysis of King Hamlet’s Ghost

Impact on Other Characters

Comparisons with Other Shakespearean Ghosts

Interpretations and Theories Surrounding the Ghost

Themes Associated with the Ghost

Madness and Sanity

Corruption and Decay

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The Role of The Ghost in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

The Ghost’s First Appearance Warns about The Shaping of Destiny

The Ghost Reappears to Remind Hamlet of Revenge

Where Does Hamlet Meet The Ghost at First?

How The Ghost’s Appearance Impacted Hamlet’s Mind

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Hamlet’s Ghost: A Review Article Greenblatt, Stephen. Hamlet in Purgatory . Princeton UP, 2001.

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