The Ghost

[Wallflower01]

Is it love for King Hamlet that allows the guards, Horatio, and Hamlet to see the ghost?

This is an outdated topic, but I want to see if anyone agrees or has some insight. I'm not a literary folk by any means, and my feelings get hurt easily. Please use care when replying.

My quandry is exactly as stated in the quote above...I'm trying to figure out why only the select characters were chosen to see the ghost of King Hamlet. I read A LOT of the other posts and they were deep!! So deep that my professor would look at me cross-ways and ask me, "Who are you and what did you do with my student?"

P.S. I realize that Hamlet is a revenge tragedy and that it's not about love, but I'm searching for meaning why Ghost is only shown to the select few.

[FONT="Arial Black"]I don't claim to know much about Hamlet, but we have been disscussing it in my English class, and I believe that, the ghost is simply in Hamlet's mind and that he is insane. My main reasons for this assumptioin is because the Ghost is never actually truly seen by anyone besides Hamlet. Even Horatio, Marcellus, and Barardo, never actually get a clear view of the ghost, they see what they believe to be a ghost, but that could just be a trick of the night. Hamlet is the only one who ever actually carries on a conversation with the Ghost. [/FONT]

[Zirkle2007]

[FONT="Arial Black"]I don't claim to know much about Hamlet, but we have been disscussing it in my English class, and I believe that, the ghost is simply in Hamlet's mind and that he is insane. My main reasons for this assumptioin is because the Ghost is never actually truly seen by anyone besides Hamlet. Even Horatio, Marcellus, and Barardo, never actually get a clear view of the ghost, they see what they believe to be a ghost, but that could just be a trick of the night. Hamlet is the only one who ever actually carries on a conversation with the Ghost. [/FONT]

Not to be mean, but didn't the group of guards see the ghost AND attempt to converse with it in the beginning of the play?

I believe the ghost was 'real' in the context of the play. Maybe it chose not to reveal itself to anyone after it got its plan across to Hamlet.

[srhoton]

I agree with Zirlke2007. The ghosts purpose was to seek revenge and to let the truth be know about his death. I do not think that the ghost of formed from Hamlets maddness due to the fact that other people saw it and did attempt to converse with it. The question that I have is why would the ghost show itself to Horatio, Marcellus, and Barardo and not to the queen or even Claudius to prove that he was murdered?

[zmichael47348]

Let me preface this with my belief that the ghost is indeed real and if it were simply a fragment of Hamlet's imagination, important characters such as Horatio would not have been able to see it.

The question that I have is why would the ghost show itself to Horatio, Marcellus, and Barardo and not to the queen or even Claudius to prove that he was murdered?

The way I see it is there would be no advantage to the ghost if it showed itself to King Claudius. In my opinion, the only thing that could come out of the ghost showing itself to King Cladius is making the feeling of guilt larger for him. Cladius would NEVER tell anybody if he did see the ghost, so it really wouldn't help the situation at all.

I personally feel that the ghost did TRY to show itself to Queen Gertrude, but she is already feeling so guilty for what she has done that she ignores the vision of the ghost because it only makes her feel worse. If she did see the ghost and she admitted it, Hamlet probably would have killed King Cladius much sooner.

I guess what I am getting at is that Shakespeare chose who saw the ghost EXTREMELY well. In the play, Horatio is Hamlet's best friend and if he sees the ghost, the reader expects Horatio to tell Hamlet about it. The reader also expects Hamlet to listen to the ghost. Shakespeare knew who it would make most sense to make the ghost visible to. In my opinion, he did a great job.

[Zirkle2007]

Let me preface this with my belief that the ghost is indeed real and if it were simply a fragment of Hamlet's imagination, important characters such as Horatio would not have been able to see it.



The way I see it is there would be no advantage to the ghost if it showed itself to King Claudius. In my opinion, the only thing that could come out of the ghost showing itself to King Cladius is making the feeling of guilt larger for him. Cladius would NEVER tell anybody if he did see the ghost, so it really wouldn't help the situation at all.

I personally feel that the ghost did TRY to show itself to Queen Gertrude, but she is already feeling so guilty for what she has done that she ignores the vision of the ghost because it only makes her feel worse. If she did see the ghost and she admitted it, Hamlet probably would have killed King Cladius much sooner.

I guess what I am getting at is that Shakespeare chose who saw the ghost EXTREMELY well. In the play, Horatio is Hamlet's best friend and if he sees the ghost, the reader expects Horatio to tell Hamlet about it. The reader also expects Hamlet to listen to the ghost. Shakespeare knew who it would make most sense to make the ghost visible to. In my opinion, he did a great job.

I agree. Shakespeare allowed only certain characters to see the ghost for certain reasons.

Now this next statement isn't intended to throw religion into this, but from my experience only certain people in real life have the ability to see demons and angles. Could Shakespeare be applying this to his play? I don't know to much about his religous life, so maybe a more studied mind could help me out...

[Wallflower01]

Not to be mean, but didn't the group of guards see the ghost AND attempt to converse with it in the beginning of the play?

I believe the ghost was 'real' in the context of the play. Maybe it chose not to reveal itself to anyone after it got its plan across to Hamlet.

While this is true, they never actually were able to converse with it (meaning the ghost). It is my view that it is simple their minds playing tricks on them. There seems to be rumors of foul play surrounding the old King Hamlet's death, the guards are on night duty, spreading "rumors" and tell ghost stories to one another. Also doesn't one of the guards comment to the other, about the uneventfull night they have been having and shortly after that the ghost mysteriously appears?? It seems to me that this is more of a psychological issue then an undead one. They have been talking about ghosts, and the dead King, the night is boring, so unconciously they create a ghost. A ghost, in which, no one besides Hamlet is able to converse with, and Hamlet after conversing with ghost goes mad. The eyes can play cruel tricks on the mind. How many of us after hearing so terrifing ghost story at camp, could have sworn we saw the ghost coming after us as we make our way back to the cabins? Do a see a 'ghost' because it actually exist or is it seen because a 'ghost' is on our minds, and believe that a 'ghost' should be there? I personally believe the same thing happened to the guards at the beginning of Hamlet. It was night, everything is dark, and pour light. Their eyes just showed them what they believed should be there.
This is just my personal opinion, please fill free to disagree, but please do it nicely, and don't all attack me at once.

[Rinas_Jaded]

I actually developed a theory (not a very well-tested one, really) that maybe Horatio, Bernardo, and Francisco were all people of Hamlet's imagination. I cannot remember an instance in which any of these characters speak to any others (but I haven't actually looked through the text since I thought of this; it is possible that the final scene could invalidate this). Thus, Hamlet is perhaps convinced that something is "rotten in the state of Denmark", and his imaginary companions' accounts justify this for him, so he goes and busts a cap or two. Were this the case, Gertrude obviously would not see the ghost. I really kind of doubt all this, but it could be something similar.

I think that is an interesting theory. I do believe only Horatio speaks to other people in the play though.

While this is true, they never actually were able to converse with it (meaning the ghost). It is my view that it is simple their minds playing tricks on them. There seems to be rumors of foul play surrounding the old King Hamlet's death, the guards are on night duty, spreading "rumors" and tell ghost stories to one another. Also doesn't one of the guards comment to the other, about the uneventfull night they have been having and shortly after that the ghost mysteriously appears?? It seems to me that this is more of a psychological issue then an undead one. They have been talking about ghosts, and the dead King, the night is boring, so unconciously they create a ghost. A ghost, in which, no one besides Hamlet is able to converse with, and Hamlet after conversing with ghost goes mad. The eyes can play cruel tricks on the mind. How many of us after hearing so terrifing ghost story at camp, could have sworn we saw the ghost coming after us as we make our way back to the cabins? Do a see a 'ghost' because it actually exist or is it seen because a 'ghost' is on our minds, and believe that a 'ghost' should be there? I personally believe the same thing happened to the guards at the beginning of Hamlet. It was night, everything is dark, and pour light. Their eyes just showed them what they believed should be there.
This is just my personal opinion, please fill free to disagree, but please do it nicely, and don't all attack me at once.

You mean that it's similar to the things you see as a child. When you get scared and see a monster under your bed. You call you parents to help you. In the scence of the guards they called Horatio they just wanted him to get rid of the monster right? Otherwise there is no other mention of the guards in the play or at least they don't have parts after that.

This is because the ghost can choose who does see it and who does not, (during the night when it is doom'd to walk, that is). All of its appearances are purposeful. It is crucial not only to see its speeches, but also to mark the circumstances of its appearances in order to determine these purposes.



- In the first scene, the ghost's appearance becomes progressively real. As the guards, we want to understand what it is, and why it is. The most significant in this scene is its reappearance when Horatio, to some extent, accurately divines the reasons for its previous appearances:

"And even the like precurse of fierce events,
As harbingers preceding still the fates
And prologue to the omen coming on,
Have heaven and earth together demonstrated
Unto our climatures and countrymen."

This indicates to us (the audience) and himself that there might be some wisdom in Horatio's reasoning.
Therefore and moreover, the ghost's appearance was to alarm the guards in hope to meet Hamlet, who is certain to hear of it through them, and rightly, as Horatio promptly says:

"Let us impart what we have seen to-night
Unto young Hamlet. For upon my life,
This spirit dumb to us will speak to him"

Notice that, though the guards can also see the ghost, it only ever talks to Hamlet in the entire play. The ghost is not seen again (or at least does not feature again) after Hamlet has talked to it (until Act III), thus, perhaps, indicates that it no longer needs the guards to see it and that its initial appearances are deliberate.




- The reason why Gertrude cannot see the ghost is, again, because it does not wish her to. The purpose of this appearance is to scold at Hamlet for forgetting his given tasks: "This visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose." One scold is, as Hamlet rightly says, it comes to its "tardy son to chide, that laps'd in time and passion, lets go by th' important acting of [its] dread command". The other scold, much more significant to your question, is because Hamlet was disobeying the ghost's command to leave his mother to the punishments of heaven by telling her the truth and asking her to repent.
In the first conversation with Hamlet, the ghost makes clear its disgust at the act of the "seeming-virtuous Queen":

"But virtue, as it never will be moved,
Though lewdness court it in a shape of Heaven,
So lust, though to a radiant angel link'd,
Will sate itself in a celestial bed,
And prey on garbage."

And, though her offence may not amount to the urgent punishment that the ghost asks Hamlet to give to Claudius, the anguished spirit of the King does not want to forgive her. If she was not confronted and advised of the terrible truth, she will not have the chance to repent and, thus, will have to face the consequences enforced by heaven (which she does deserve for her unknowing act of lust alone)(A similar reasoning is used when Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius whilst he is confessing.):

"Taint not thy mind; nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her."

So when Hamlet was very close to making Gertrude realise the unvirtuous nature of her new marriage and, even to persuading her that her new husband is a murderer, the ghost interferes simply to stop this from happening. If it lets Gertrude see it, the pale spirit of her murdered King, this would only further convince her that Hamlet is telling her the truth, and further amount to her remorse and penitence, which would be completely against its cause. But by not letting Gertrude see it, yet conversing with Hamlet at the same time, it, perhaps wittingly, aids Hamlet on his task of faking insanity. Therefore, this invisibility is purposeful. And, therefore, who does see the ghost and who does not is intentional on the part of the ghost.

Perhaps the ghost must be cunning in this, for, though Hamlet appears to grief and obey his father's wishes whole-heartedly, his just and extraordinary sense of morality understands the immorals of these wishes and contemplates them with even more devotion.

If I read this sooner I can honestly say I would be compleaty in awe. It is quite insightful.

[htownsend]

I wonder, if, Gertrude COULD see the Ghost, but "chose" not to. For one, if she admitted to seeing it, then Hamlet wouldn't be crazy, like her husband says. She could have seen something, but absolutly refused to acknowledge it.
But, if this theory fails then I would have to agree with the already stated idea that the Ghost only showed himself to the people he wanted to.

[HomeSkillet]

Ah, a very interesting comment that htownsend made. I think that Gertrude is a fairly under-estimated character in the play. I mean who else could get over a husbands death, marry his brother, find her son to be perhaps mad, and then drink poison and die. . . ? Wouldn't it make a huge twist in the play if Shakespeare did somehow show the audience that Gertrude secretly saw the ghost, but didn't want to jeopardize things to come? (A conspiracy theory)
-In my opinion much like the others, I believe that the ghost only appeared to those that needed to see him most. If this is not the case though, Gertrude did a great job fooling me.

[drlex]

I wonder, if, Gertrude COULD see the Ghost, but "chose" not to. For one, if she admitted to seeing it, then Hamlet wouldn't be crazy, like her husband says. She could have seen something, but absolutly refused to acknowledge it.
But, if this theory fails then I would have to agree with the already stated idea that the Ghost only showed himself to the people he wanted to.

I think that htownsend did a very good job of answering this question. I think that this view is very interesting and raises somewhat of a question. Did Gertrude see the ghost and is refusing to admit that she has? I think that if Gertrude would have seen the ghost than the story of Hamlet wouldn't exist or it would be totally different. If she did see it would it have caused the King to try to kill her too? Or would he have banished her? This is a very interesting question and there are to many avenues that this could have taken. I would have to look at Hamlet again to give more info.

[Redzeppelin]

I think Gertrude lacks the duplicity and the intellect to actually grasp in such an emotional moment what a recognition of the ghost would mean. I have tremendous difficulty with interpretations that do not point to some textual clue unless the interpretation is reasonable in terms of character and the themes of the play. Gertrude is largely blind and ignorant of the effects of her behavior on her son; she does admit in the play that her overhasty marriage is likely at the root of Hamlet's behavior, but she does not seem to ponder the issue beyond that. I don't think she's got the mental machinery to play that kind of manipulative game with her son.

Why the ghost won't appear to Gertrude is a mystery; one might have to consider Elizabethan demonology to understand the problem. According to Elizabethan demonology, a ghost might be any one of a number of things:

1. a hallucination
2. a spirit returned from purgatory to perform a deed left undone in life
3. a portent (omen, warning)
4. a spirit returned from grave/purgatory by Divine permission
5. a devil disguised as a dead person

Since the ghost speaks truly, we know 5 is out (but it and 4 are what cause much of Hamlet's relentless reflections because he does risk his soul in executing judgment that may not be divinely ordained). 1 is ruled out because Horatio et al see him - and perhaps that is why they must see him: to dismiss the idea that Hamlet is truly mad. The play deals very much with verification - whether by direct or indirect means. Perhaps having the ghost appear to others early on was something Shakespeare (or Edward de Vere ) did by necessity in order to keep his character from losing credibility; after all, Hamlet must execute Divine Justice as a tragic hero; he cannot serve the devil and reset society as the tragic hero's death must. The ghost must be real in order for Hamlet's verification via the "Mousetrap" to mean anything - otherwise we have a trap hatched in Hamlet's brain being used to verify a "truth" originally hatched (via hallucination - the mind lying to itself) in Hamlet's brain. A sort of mental begging-the-question.

If Hamlet is the tool of divine justice, then perhaps it can be argued that the ghost is prohibited by God from appearing to the guilty parties. Why? Good question.

[Jim58]

Memory is one of the main themes in the play. The reason Gertrude can't see the Ghost is that King Hamlet no longer holds a place in her memory. She has forgotten him.

[Redzeppelin]

Memory is one of the main themes in the play. The reason Gertrude can't see the Ghost is that King Hamlet no longer holds a place in her memory. She has forgotten him.

That's an interesting answer. I think I like it.

[Jim58]

If you look closely at the other characters in the play who see the Ghost, namely Berardo, Marcellus, Horatio and Hamlet, you will see that each draws a comparison between the Ghost and a particular memorable feature of King Hamlet. Take the closet scene where Hamlet utters the line, "My father, in his habit as he lived." or at the end of 1.2:

Hamlet: His beard was grizzled, no?

Horatio: It was as I have seen it in his life, a sable silvered.