Ghost In Hamlet Research Paper

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What effects does the ghost have on Hamlet, and was the ghost really there? During the course of the play Hamlet deteriorates, but why? Hamlet is influenced by the sightings of the ghost of his recently deceased father. The ghost comes to visit Hamlet and inform him in a roundabout way about his death. This infuriates Hamlet and causes him to seek the revenge the ghost requests of him. Hamlet isn’t the only one to view the ghost, though he is the only one to converse with it. Horatio comments, “Look my lord, it comes” (I. iv. 38); proving Hamlet isn't having visions. The men standing outside warn Hamlet not to go with the ghost in fear that it will consume his mind and sanity, “What if it tempt you toward the flood my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff…” (I. iv. 69-77). During their conversation, they advise Hamlet that the ghost may lead him into a madness so deep that he can’t come back from it; that’s what happens. …show more content…

v. 7-23). Meaning if I tell you then you must do as I say and kill the man that killed me. Hamlet gets drawn in by his remark and falls for the trap to then have his life sucked away by the fate of revenge. The ghost constantly says “swear” with the two possible meanings being, swear you will do it and swear you won’t tell anyone. Hamlet swears to his father's spirit, then gets caught up in the idea of needing the feeling of revenge and death. It isn’t until later into the last scene of act 2 that Hamlet says, “ The spirit that I have seen May be a devil - and the devil hath power T’ assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and perhaps, Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me...” (II. ii. 551-557). Here he is realizing that maybe the ghost wasn’t actually his dad, but his father's spirit stuck on Earth by the devil until the “work” was

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