What Is The Significance Of The Appearing Of The Ghost In HAMLET?

Question

What Is The Significance Of The Appearing Of The Ghost In HAMLET?

2 Answers

Answer Question

Answer 1

The Ghost is used by Shakespeare to give Hamlet the information he is lacking; ie the fact that his father (the Ghost; 'King Hamlet') was murdered by his uncle Claudius, who has now taken King Hamlet's throne and married his wife. THe appearance of his father's ghost gives Prince Hamlet the incentive to take revenge on his uncle, and whenever he hesitates to do this, the ghost reappears to urge him on. Without the ghost there would be no revenge plot.

Answer 2

This shows the brilliance of Shakespeare!

The ghost, ( a part he wrote for himself), tells Hamlet who murdered him, " Sleeping within mine orchard, my custom always in the afternoon, upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, with juice of cursed hebanon in a vial, and in the porches of mine ears did pour the leperous distilment!"

Thus, the revelations of the Ghost, turn an ordinary play into a murder mystery, with the denoument right at the beginning!