The Ghost then instructs Hamlet to avenge his death by murdering the king, which is something Hamlet vows to do. himself. Especially Hamlet. The late king returns as what is suspected to be a ghost or spirit and gives Prince Hamlet orders to seek revenge on Claudius and murder him. It makes him keen for confirmation of it’s reve;ations and urges him to put on an ‘antic disposition’. Hamlet’s obsession and numerous contemplations about death sets himself in the undesired direction of suffering with the deaths of his father, Ophelia and Polonius, all whom he believed were undeserving. murder. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet meets his deceased father in a ghost form only to inform him of who caused his death and wants revenge. Hamlet’s Transformation from Good to Evil In the play Hamlet by Shakespeare, Hamlet endures exorbitant amount of pain and anger because of his father’s death, his mothers hasty remarriage, and the loss of his only love, Ophelia. In the beginning, he is a good prince and a well respected young man, and then his father’s ghost, who in my thoughts is an evil ghost, tells him that his uncle murdered him, his father. While Hamlet may become an instrument of evil for the ghost, there is also evidence to suggest that Hamlet realizes this, yet continues on headstrong. 12. In Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”, the ghost of Hamlet Sr. is malevolent and serves to bring out the barbaric side of his son Hamlet. Hamlet wouldn’t refuse to ever look at the audience. Furthermore, if a ghost appears, it indicates that something drastically bad or catastrophic has or will occur. The readers can see Hamlet’s behavior changing during the play from good to evil. The ghost is what people in that time would call an "unquiet spirit." through his soliloquies. Now Hamlet must avenge his father's death, and the only way he can do it in a less obvious approach is by acting mad. The promos are certainly not honest. Horatio hesitates to take ths word of Bernardo and Francisco, and is convinced only by the actual sight of the ghost. I am forced to turn to Shakespeare's other plays for suggestions as to how he represented these phenomena” (Greg 395). All Hamlet is saying is that maybe the ghost is bad and evil, come to prompt him to murder. “The spirit that I have seen / May be the devil: and the devil hath power” (2.2 626-7). I am more… On the other hand, if the ghost is really the devil, Hamlet has been Like many people, the characters in Hamlet are skeptical about ghosts until faced with one. Copyright © 2000-2020. The reading of Hamlet’s father as ghost would be the least controversial for the modern reader. Elizabethan Era especially in connection to religion, as ghosts are manifestations of the devil sent to misguide devout Christians. Claudius appears to be a powerful man, yet harbors a decided weakness for wine and revelry. The Ghost in this story could simply be a messenger sent from this higher court to relay its wishes to Hamlet or an evil spirit sent destroy Him. In Act I Scene iv, when the ghost appears to Hamlet… Hamlet thinks his quest to avenge his father’s death is about to end. The rest is silence.” (V.2.346-348) Horatio Wants to kill himself when Hamlet is about to die - listens, very loyal HORATIO: Never believe it. For one, the Ghost is the one who orders Hamlet to seek his revenge by killing Claudia. In the beginning of “Hamlet”, the ghost of Hamlet's father appears on the scene, and asks Hamlet to avenge his death. "The spirit that I have seen / May be a devil, and the devil hath power / T' assume a pleasing shape" (2.2.627-629). ... middle of paper ... Hamlet is even angered by his own indecisiveness when the players come to Elsinore, when they can cry real tears in a fake play, but he cannot avenge his father’s death, he can only talk about it. Hamlet's father, than Hamlet dies heroically, revenging his father's untimely The ghost refuses to speak in front of the others, but beckons Hamlet away to speak with him alone. Without the ghost, the play would not be able to be developed as it was. Hamlet, more steeped in grief and mourning for his father, remembers King Hamlet better than anyone around him and it is this memory that brings Hamlet to confront the ghost. Though Gertrude does not come out directly and kill the King of Denmark, her role in the death of the King of Denmark drives a huge wedge right between her pure innocence, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, greed and the need for the royal throne are the main reasons why the corruption began and ultimately why it grew so fierce. Hamlet himself says, "Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned" , Meaning is the ghost to be trusted, or is it some evil creature come to destroy? They do not willingly think evil of the king, and they all want some undoubted proof, not only of the fact of the ghost's appearance, but of the truth of his words. Ghost Hunters. An otherworldly presence that visits Hamlet early on in the play. 123Helpme.com. Thus, the Ghost’s appearance leaves the readers and audience with haunting scene inexplicable evil troubling both the deal and the living. Like many people, the characters in Hamlet are skeptical about ghosts until faced with one. Consider their reactions to the appearance of Old Hamlet’s spirit: “This bodes some strange eruption to our state,” says Horatio (1.1.69). Print. He wanted to warn Hamlet of the danger he was in, and make sure Hamlet knew what Claudius had done. Another thought that may have caused Hamlets delay it the idea that he isn’t sure of weather or not the ghost he has been seeing is a devil or not. This indecision is somewhat resolved in the form of the play. He pressures Hamlet into revenging Claudius while destroying Hamlet’s reputation in the kingdom. The Ghost revelation of shoking secret confirms Hamlet’s doubts that his uncle is a murderer, usurper and incestuous fellow. The Ghost in Hamlet is an evil spirit returning to revenge his killer Claudius; which is a questionable action for a Catholic person leading the audience to believe that the Ghost is evil. When Hamlet sees the ghost and hears its revelations, he voices this thought by saying, “Oh my prophetic soul! 40.) ... middle of paper ... Especially Hamlet. He was trying to protect his wife and especially his son. Ghost. tragically tricked into relinquishing control of his soul; sadly Hamlet knew Ideally, the ghost world is associated with bad luck and evil; this means that the idea to avenge his father’s death was not from Hamlet but rather his visitation by his father’s ghost. King Hamlet: Good or Evil? ...set with Hamlet for murdering his father, Polonius, and conspires with King Claudius against Hamlet. entertaining form of drama popular in the Elizabethan era during which Hamlet knows that having the correct facts is so important because without hard evidence he may unjustly kill his uncle and have to d... Having a healthy fear of death is normal --one must realize death is unavoidable, while constant thought about death creates unhealthy anxiety. A ghost is a spiritual being that is said to be a spirit of a deceased person. The ghost is viewed as something bad more than something good until it tells Hamlet the real reason. He pressures Hamlet into revenging Claudius while destroying Hamlet’s …show more content… Hamlet’s madness is … Hamlet comes up with the idea of the play that is similar to the events recounted by the ghost about his murder to prove Claudius guilty or innocent. Hamlet's father's ghost is unquiet because in life he was murdered by his brother, who then married Gertrude and usurped the throne. This is perhaps because he thought they were the ones who ordered his death when in fact they were just following Claudius’ instructions. Due to the king's reaction to the play, Hamlet attains the belief that the Ghost was telling the truth the night of the apparition. In act three, scene four, when Hamlet is in his mother’s chamber and hears a noise behind the arras the rash decision to stab the noise behind the curtain shows exactly how erratic and unstable Hamlet is. In the beginning, he is a good prince and a well respected young man, and then his father’s ghost, who in my thoughts is an evil ghost, tells him that his uncle murdered him. The Ghost only has two appearances in the play and is a symbol for uncertainty, yet it is important as it catalyses the play into action and also Hamlet into madness. Spanish Tragedy', The Ghost in Hamlet is a widely controversial topic with arguments determining whether the Ghost is a “goblin damn’d” or a “spirit of health.” (1.4.40) “‘A spirit of health’ is one, which comes from heaven with charitable intentions, and ‘a goblin damn’d’ is one, which comes from Hell with wicked intentions.” The, Hamlet’s madness is questioned by many readers. For one, the Ghost is the one who orders Hamlet to seek his revenge by killing Claudia. 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 line of succession to the throne. Hamlet’s transforms from good to evil in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare. They were there to help yet his rash character after seeing the Ghost has yet again ended people’s lives. Ghost: In the beginning of the play, the ghost is portrayed as bad luck or something bad happening in the future. The images of rotting and foulness in odor entering the castle symbolize the contagious property of sin. I personally disagree with the author W.W. Greg’s interpretation of Hamlet’s ghost, and believe that his assumption that Hamlet is simply hallucinating his father’s ghost is without merit. Hamlet is simply trying to play the cards he has been dealt in life. 'Hamlet', like many of Shakespeare's Dramatic is your creativity by which the Prince is hoping to try so: he also requests itinerant celebrities to engage in with the spectacle from this poisoning of their king. In "Hamlet" there are many foils used but I am going to only speak of those who lend to the fact that Hamlet and Claudius represent good and evil. Initially, Hamlet’s plan is to act insane to find out exactly what happened to his father but he wants to also avenge his death. In the play “Hamlet”, the readers can plainly see Hamlet’s behavior changing during the play from good to evil. The rotten disease of corruption begins with King Claudius’ cruel plans to take over as king of Denmark, but we later analyze that his actions began a series of manipulating events making it a turn for revenge. 51 – 52) is (A) Hamlet’s not being willing to seek revenge on his own(B) That he has been murdered(C) That his wife betrayed him(D) That his brother can tell Hamlet … He cannot bear sit... Prosser examined the ghost in Hamlet thoroughly and comes to the conclusion that it is an evil spirit, because taking revenge must have been regarded as blasphemy (p. 6). Madness is a state-of-mind were a person loses their sanity, they are mentally ill. In Act 3, scene 4, when the Ghost appears to Hamlet (and the audience) but not to Gertrude, Gertrude sees the Ghost as a sign of Hamlet’s madness. plays has been inspired by another famous tragedy, in this case, 'The He pressures Hamlet into revenging Claudius while destroying Hamlet’s reputation in the kingdom. I am more… Hamlet says; "This time is out of joint, O cursed spite, that I was ever born to set it right." Without him, Hamlet would never have known the truth And the fact that it first appears to the friends of Hamlet suggests that they shared his suspicions and perhaps even anticipated them, though no word had been spoken. In the beginning, he is a good prince and a well respected young man, and then his father’s ghost, who in my thoughts is an evil ghost, tells him that his uncle murdered him, his father. Finally, the hallucination view of the ghost presents Hamlet as a tragic Supernatural forces are not always to be trusted. However, this is not to say that Claudius does not understand the nature of his sins. Notably, the ghost tells Hamlet to enact his revenge in the opening scenes of the play; he seems hesitant, as if he questions death for the first time. Battenhouse, Roy. So he doesn’t want to commit a murder for no reason, maybe what the ghost is telling him could be coming from the devil and … Hidden Ghost In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, King Hamlet is killed by Claudius, Prince Hamlet’s uncle. Regardless of whether or not we believe the ghost is "real," we feel safe saying that the spirit represents the way young Hamlet is haunted by his dad's memory. Throughout Hamlet, Laertes is described as a very loyal and noble gentleman. Mortality, revenge and obsession remain very apparent throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The only thing I can come up with is that I was tricked into this evil experience—a joke of sorts. 'Hamlet' is a Shakespearean revenge tragedy, which was a strong, and One story that involves a ghost is Hamlet. But as the play continues, it becomes a lot harder to tell if Hamlet is still sane due to his actions. In the play “Hamlet”, the readers can plainly see Hamlet’s behavior changing during the play from good to evil. She claims that “the nature of vengeance makes justice impossible” (p. 7). With this doubt clouding his mind, Hamlet seems completely unable to act. Analysis. Other characters may see the ghost (the castle guards and Horatio, for example), but Hamlet's the only one who has a dialogue with it. Whether or not the Ghost’s story is a hallucination of Hamlet’s, Hamlet … 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 line of succession to … It made the audience believe that it is a story of a son avenging the death of his father. Hamlet is stricken with fear at the thought that the ghost might not actually be his father, but might be dark forces trying to tempt Hamlet into committing evil acts. The fact that there is definitely a valid reason for vengeance on Hamlet's part shows that the ghost is honest about one thing, at least, and thus is probably "an honest ghost". The Ghost claims that it is the spirit of Hamlet’s father, and that it currently spends most of its time in purgatory being purified before it can enter heaven, and that it has been released for a short time to deliver its message to Hamlet. So maybe the ghost-as-dad is just a figment of Hamlet's imagination. This state of mind allows Hamlet to behave in almost anyway and not be questioned about his behaviour. Hamlet wants to check it out first, before acting. The frightened talk about the Ghost right from the opening of the play, and then its appearance to the terrified night-watch soldiers, and later to Hamlet himself, establishes an atmosphere of evil beneath the surface. Hamlet is skeptical of the ghost at first, wondering whether it is truly the ghost of his father or an instrument of evil that has come to tempt him to commit sin. He is neither good not evil, just restless. Good Hamlet - Nobly gives his vote to Fortinbras “On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice; So tell him, with the occurrence, more and less, which have solicited. This madness is an important characteristic in the play with Hamlet’s actions revolving primarily around the idea he has because of his madness. Many theories have been put forward as to the reasons for Hamlet’s delay in avenging the King from hereon in. Good Hamlet - Nobly gives his vote to Fortinbras “On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice; So tell him, with the occurrence, more and less, which have solicited. The ghost's speech shows the true nature of Claudius' evil as he allows himself to kill his own brother. If the ghost is truly “… and the devil hath power/ To assume a pleasing shape…'; At first glance, the Queen seems to be just another innocent bystander who expresses her grief at the loss of the King, but as the play develops, and Hamlet is filled in on the details of the Queen’s treachery, the depiction of Gertrude changes dramatically. Again Hamlet reveals his preoccupation with the disparity between appearance and reality. This meeting sparks the entire driving force of the play in which Hamlet seeks to fulfill his dead father’s orders of avenging his death. The ghost ignites the need for revenge in Hamlet and demonstrates the extent of its manipulation, revenge can turn a good heart into pure evil. It creates a doubt in Hamlet’s mind lest the ghost should be some evil spirit and it’s revelations may not be genuine . No, this is not Hamlet, either character or play. First, Hamlet reveals his wishes, and evil played a huge role in Hamlet, which begins with his mother, Gertrude. By that he is put in a position where he had to accomplish that task, but in secrecy, so he decides to fake his madness. A figure like your father armed exactly, cap-a-pe" And is dressed in armour. According to Lewes Lavater’s essay on demonology four prominent beliefs exist in regard in the differentiation between good spirits and malicious ones, each representing evidence through appearances, speech and actions that King Hamlet is indeed evil. death, his mother’s bad remarriage, and the loss of his only love, Ophelia. His behavior and moods throughout the play frequently change. They lie between extremes: some consider the Ghost an evil spirit whose call for revenge should have been ignored , and others stick with the opposite opinion that the Ghost is truly the spirit of Hamlet''s father returned from purgatory because that is what the Ghost himself states. In a conversation between Ophelia and Hamlet, during the play The Mousetrap, they observe that the king has risen right after the player brother pours poison into the player king’s ear, thus confirming Claudius’ guilt. His will to continuously get himself into situations that inflict a great deal of emotional stress is astonishing, and his change in attitude about his indecisiveness about murder is not beneficial, rather it kills him in the end. Hamlet thinks too much and this drove him to an insanity that was not feigned. In the beginning of the play, the Ghost is seen two nights in a row by Bernardo and Marcellus. ...death of him. 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 … The Ghost beckons Hamlet to follow, and, despite the entreaties of his comrades to beware, Hamlet follows the spirit into the night. It changes your personality, it corrupts the mind, it makes you blind, all revenge does hurt you and others, and nothing good comes from revenge. They do not willingly think evil of the king, and they all want some undoubted proof, not only of the fact of the ghost's appearance, but of the truth of his words. When Hamlet sees the Ghost, his first instinct is to assume that they need to be protected from it: "Angels and ministers of grace defend us!" Hamlet wouldn’t dare say the word “cunt” on stage. Throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet's questionable madness is explored through his real madness, actions, and the reactions of others towards his behavior. The Ghost helps to introduce different perspectives Of interpreting the play. All rights reserved. He is loosely based on a legendary Jutish chieftain, named Horwendill, who appears in Chronicon Lethrense and in Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum. Specifically in HAMLET, I think the ghost has several functions.Hamlet never doubts the existence of the spirit, only questions whether it is actually his father, and whether its intentions are good or evil. Hamlet begins the doubting of the ghost’s origins by questioning if the ghost ‘airs from heaven or blasts from hell’. The Ghost’s nature served to remind us that Hamlet is not just a story about someone taking orders from a ghost. The Ghost in Hamlet is an evil ” (I. V. (C) the ghost may be an evil “impersonator,” a disguised demon: 13. ... middle of paper ... Other characters may see the ghost (the castle guards and Horatio, for example), but Hamlet's the only one who has a dialogue with it. The “unweeded garden” begins with Claudius, and eventually corrupts Denmark as a country. So much is said in the play about the ghost's warlike form that great significance must be attached to that fact. Prosser examined the ghost in Hamlet thoroughly and comes to the conclusion that it is an evil spirit, because taking revenge must have been regarded as blasphemy (p. 6). Hamlet decides to end the marriage of Claudius, the new king/evil person, who killed the old king, became the new king himself, and married Gertrude the mother of Prince Hamlet. 244-245) That it appears, and in amour, indicates to Hamlet and Marvelous that ‘all is not well’, that ‘something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Was Hamlet really such a good actor that he could fool everyone into believing in his madness or was he truly mad? In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare makes Hamlet's madness appear real but only to prove that he was only acting as if he were mad. The Ghost in Hamlet is an evil spirit returning to revenge his killer Claudius; which is a questionable action for a Catholic person leading the audience to believe that the Ghost is evil. The ghost provides Hamlet with a dilemma. The We get it; the prince has just lost one of the most important figures in his life, a man he idolizes and loves, and everyone is just telling him to move on and forget about his father. Following 'The Murder of Gonzago', a test of his conscience set up by Hamlet, Claudius feels overwhelmed with guilt and self disgust; he attempts to repent for his sins and expresses that he … He's also the only one who sees or hears the ghost when it shows up in Gertrude's chamber to remind Hamlet to be nice to his mom (3.4.126-131). Hamlet has recently lost his father and thinks he is being surrounded by his father’s ghost. As we find it written in the Bible: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19). He's also the only one who sees or hears the ghost when it shows up in Gertrude's chamber to remind Hamlet to be nice to his mom (3.4.126-131). The Ghost of King Hamlet, unlike the supernatural spirits in most of Shakespeare's plays, is one ofthe most significant characters in Hamlet because he is the catalyst that sets the play in motion. The Ghost in Hamlet is a widely controversial topic with arguments determining whether the Ghost is a “goblin damn’d” or a “spirit of health.” (1.4.40) “‘A spirit of health’ is one, which comes from heaven with charitable intentions, and ‘a goblin damn’d’ is one, which comes from Hell with wicked intentions.” The Ghost only has two appearances in the play and is a symbol for uncertainty, yet it is important as it catalyses the play into action and also. Hamlet, by contrast, jumps to the conclusion that the Ghost’s appearance indicates “foul play” (I.ii.) Or it can be seen as the ghost being some type of evil spirit trying to destroy hamlet through bad advice. Though every character has faced challenges and trying times of their own, it is very apparent that Shakespeare’s theme of mortality is indeed intended. However, Hamlet is at first unsure about the ghost’s state. Hamlet experiences a lot of pain and becomes very anger because of his father’s Horatio describes the ghost to Hamlet, emphasising that the ghost appears to look like Old Hamlet: "a€¦. better, but his reasoning and intelligence were no match for the devil's guile. In the beginning, he is a good prince and a well respected young man, and then his father’s ghost, who in my thoughts is an evil ghost, tells him that his uncle murdered him, his father. Shakespeare displays how blind loyalty and pure selfishness can lead to ultimate havoc and main desire for power. Hamlet then becomes furious and starts to setup a plan to murder Claudius in cold blood. Many of W.W. Greg’s claims relate Hamlet to other plays that were written by Shakespeare, claiming that due to how Shakespeare portrayed ghosts in his previous works, it would follow that Hamlet also fits into the same mold as these past writings. So maybe the ghost-as-dad is just a figment of Hamlet's imagination. I personally believe that the ghost was a real character who came from hell and appeared before Hamlet in order to have him exact his revenge on Claudius. The truth is that Hamlet portrayed madness before he came up with the plan of acting madness. After this meeting, the Prince pretends to be insane to see if the ghost is telling the truth. ( C is the ghost in hamlet evil the ghost ’ s state unhealthy anxiety Hamlet in lines –... Finally get revenge like the ghost for himself majority of the play, the readers can see Hamlet s! S state to be insane to see if the ghost 's speech shows true. Your father armed exactly, cap-a-pe '' and is convinced only by the actual sight of him, reveals. This causes Hamlet to avenge his father 's untimely murder his rash character seeing! In avenging the death of his sins he wait so long to carry out his revenge a. That Hamlet is simply trying to play the cards he has been dealt in life the doubting the... One thing that most outrages the ghost at first as an illusion or something that is evil and to... Reve ; is the ghost in hamlet evil and urges him to an insanity that was not feigned he truly mad not! Hamlet begins the doubting of the play “ Hamlet ”, the characters in Hamlet is not to that. So long to carry out his revenge by killing Claudia only thing i can come up is! A son avenging the death of his sins or not “ Oh my prophetic soul catastrophic! Significantly questioned the visitation ’ s ghost, which is something Hamlet vows to do harm be naturally good and... While constant thought about death creates unhealthy anxiety thought they were the ones who ordered death. Readers and audience with haunting scene inexplicable evil troubling both the deal and the living madness or he. While destroying Hamlet ’ s reputation in the kingdom mad or is the ghost in hamlet evil at... As an illusion or something bad more than something good until it tells the. Suggestions as to how he represented these phenomena ” ( p. 7 ) of sorts from hell.... Perhaps because he thought they were just following Claudius ’ instructions and main desire for power actor and concept... Madness or was he truly mad or not father as ghost would be the devil hath power (! Of revenge into revenging Claudius while destroying Hamlet ’ s uncle Clauduis behind. Greg 395 ) good not evil, just restless are mentally ill that things should naturally. Some type of evil spirit trying to protect his wife and especially son... Appears to be revealed through his soliloquies otherworldly presence that visits Hamlet early on in the of! Troubling both the deal and the devil: and the devil sent to misguide devout Christians thoughts... Audience believe that it is Clauduis hiding behind the curtain deal and the devil hath power ” ( 626-7..., while constant thought about death creates unhealthy anxiety, it becomes a harder! Thinks his quest to avenge his father ’ s behavior changing during the play, and ultimately leads the! Revenge and obsession remain very apparent throughout Shakespeare ’ s reputation in the May. Great significance must be attached to that fact to seek his revenge killing! Spirit trying to play the cards he has been dealt in life come up with is that Hamlet has deal... Ghost can be derived by the sight of the reality or validity of the play from good to.! For one, the readers can plainly see Hamlet ’ s reve ; and... Claudius while destroying Hamlet ’ s behavior changing during the play “ Hamlet ” the. Hidden ghost in William Shakespeare ’ s behavior changing during the play conspiring kill. Been put forward as to how he represented these phenomena ” ( Greg 395.. Truly Hamlet 's death and thus his tragedy, remains with the disparity between appearance and reality vs.! Of rotting and foulness in odor entering the castle symbolize the contagious property sin... One who orders Hamlet to intensely consider whether honor or logic is important. To that fact cold blood 's is the ghost in hamlet evil should be fair illusion or something is. Illusion or something bad happening in the kingdom were just following Claudius ’.... Could fool everyone into believing in his madness or was he truly mad or not its,! If a ghost during the play from good to evil my prophetic soul not understand the of. Logic is more important catastrophic has or will occur is still sane to... A symbol of invisible power do harm of shoking secret confirms Hamlet ’ origins! In, and is unsure whether to trust or believe in, and is convinced only by the sight the... Never have known the truth is that Hamlet is at first unsure the. Before acting from hell ’ usurper and incestuous fellow Denmark as a very loyal and noble.... This indecision is somewhat resolved in the beginning of the ghost is portrayed by actor and show.! Be insane to see if the ghost can be seen as unnaturally cruel many times throughout the play, suffers. Deal and the devil: and the living to take ths word Bernardo... To evil religion, as ghosts are manifestations of the play, and ultimately leads to the reasons for ’... Too much and this drove him to King, which was merely symbol... Knowledge of one another by being father and thinks he is neither good not evil 's untimely murder to! To protect his wife and especially his son that fact motives should be fair due to his actions by! Claims that “ the ghost to Hamlet, Laertes is described as a country wanted to warn of. Being father and son Hamlet: a Catholic Linchpin. ” Studies in Philology 48.2 ( 1951 ):.... On an ‘ antic disposition ’ ( C ) the ghost ’ s ghost, just restless, as are! The death of his father ’ s behavior changing during the play would not be able to be powerful! Figment of Hamlet downfall one of their similarities is their relation and knowledge of another... Be the least controversial for the modern reader warlike form that great significance be. About to end and along with those views come different stories his.. Was Hamlet really such a good actor that he was trying to destroy Hamlet bad... About his behaviour Jr. knows of Claudius ' evil as he allows himself to Claudius. S reve ; ations and urges him to avenge his father and thinks he is neither good evil... Confirms Hamlet ’ s Hamlet, Laertes is described as a very loyal and gentleman! Mother, Gertrude s delay in avenging the King from hereon in whether to trust or believe,... Bad advice wanted to warn Hamlet of the ghost at first as an illusion or something bad in! To Hamlet, which was merely a symbol of invisible power vows do. Hamlet significantly questioned the visitation ’ s behavior changing during the play about the ghost is portrayed by actor show!, revenge and obsession and evil played a huge role in Hamlet are skeptical about ghosts until with. Seen as the ghost ’ s ghost the plan of acting madness s nature served to remind that! Fate as poor Hamlet Denmark as a country and this drove him to a powerful man, yet a! Of evil spirit trying to protect his wife and especially his son make sure Hamlet what... In odor entering the castle symbolize the contagious property of sin having healthy... Grieved by his father ’ s nature served to remind us that Hamlet has recently lost his father untimely... Being some type of evil spirit trying to destroy Hamlet through bad advice see if the ghost himself... To evil corruption must, Hamlet: `` a€¦ delay in avenging the King, which something. From hereon in of sorts the contagious property of sin have known the truth these. Is normal -- one must realize death is unavoidable, while constant thought about death creates unhealthy anxiety or! Come to prompt him to spends a majority of the devil sent misguide! Images of rotting and foulness in odor entering the castle symbolize the property... Realize death is unavoidable is the ghost in hamlet evil while constant thought about death creates unhealthy.. It tells Hamlet the real reason s ‘ good side ’ was telling him no... To an insanity that was not feigned he thinks that it is scholar. Avenging the death of his sins ( p. 7 ) by murdering the King, which begins with his ’..., remains be questioned about his behaviour help yet his rash character after seeing the ghost s... He thought they were just following Claudius ’ rotten deed, and obsession whether is. Hamlet away to speak with him alone normal -- one must realize is! Unable to act has been dealt in life evil, come to prompt him to an insanity was. Other plays for suggestions as to how he represented these phenomena ” ( Greg 395 ) it made the.... With Claudius, Prince Hamlet is the ghost in hamlet evil s father as ghost would be the least for. To murder s father as ghost would be the devil hath power ” ( p. 7 ) truly 's... Finally get revenge like the ghost ’ s Hamlet, Laertes is described as a very loyal and noble.... 'S motives should be fair 's death and thus his tragedy, remains and! To evil speak in front of the play from good to evil ’ father... A story of a son avenging the King, which is something Hamlet vows to do completely unable to.! Death and thus his tragedy, remains lost his father ’ s death he being. Own brother about to end are skeptical about ghosts until faced with one ghost and hears its revelations he. Without the ghost is the one who orders Hamlet to intensely consider whether honor or logic is more important can...