Importance of Ghost in Hamlet Essay Sample

In Hamlet a character that has a very short part in the play have a very important meaning is  King Hamlets ghost. He was seen very briefly throughout the play but he is pretty much the  whole reason the play ends as it does. He is the main reason Hamlet does what he does in the play.

The Kings ghost is first mentioned in Act 1 Scene 1 “In the same figure like the king that’s  dead”(ShakespearePg.2). Marcellus, Barnardo, and Horatio are the first ones to see the ghost. When they see him they try to talk to him but he doesn't respond “My Lord, I did, But answer made it none. Yet once methought it lifted up it’s head and did address itself to motion, like as it would speak. But even then the morning cock crew loud, and it shrunk in haste away and vanished from our sight.” (Shakespeare Pg. 12). The ghost leaves after the three men see him and Horatio is terrified. The three men described him as pale and with a beard. “Nay, very pale”(Shakespeare Pg.13). “It was, as I have seen it in his life, a sable silvered”( Shakespeare Pg.13)

The ghost is very rarely seen through the scenes of the play but he plays a very important role in the character development of Hamlet. He goes through some major obstacles and risks a lot just to be able to speak to his father again “ If it assume my noble fathers person, I’ll speak to it, though hell itself should gape and bid me to hold my peace. I pray you all, if you have hitherto concealed this sight, let it be tenable in your silence still.”(Shakespeare Pg.13). Hamlet is already showing that he is willing to take risks to even just talk to his father.

Later in the play Hamlet still makes decisions that ultimately come from him seeing his father. Hamlet ends up killing Polonius as a result of it. “ How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!” (Shakespeare Pg.70). Polonius was spying on Hamlet and Gertrude and Polonius was hiding behind an Arras, so Hamlet went up the arras and stabbed his sword through it. “Oh, I am slain”(Shakespeare Pg.70). Hamlet thought it was Claudius behind the arras which he was trying to kill. “ A king of shreds and patches- save me and hover o’er me with your wings, you heavenly guards!- What would your gracious figure?”(Shakespeare Pg.72)

Even someone who speaks very rarely in the play has a major impact on the events that occur throughout the play. The ghost first appeared on Pg.2 of the play and is still relevant until now. He still Has a huge impact on Hamlet. No matter the size of a role in a play or any writing, it can still be one of the key details.