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Interpretations of the ghost in hamlet
Interpretations of the ghost in hamlet
Critical role of ghost in Hamlet by Shakespeare
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The Ghost in William Shakespeare's Hamlet I will be discussing the Shakespeare play Hamlet and the effectiveness of the ghost as a dramatic devise, the audience I will be discussing is one that is contemporary to myself. To be able to discuss this I have to be able to examine the connotations of a ghost in Shakespearian times, and the connotation of a ghost to a modern audience. In Shakespearian times a Ghost lead to fear because a ghost was a wondering soul left upon earth to finish its’ life. Shakespearian people were of a more religious nature and were lead to believe that Ghosts were ungodly, due to the fact that they were unable to enter heaven once dead. The Shakespearian audience was also far more believing to what they saw and took what they saw on face value. Shakespearian audience were also more easy to impress do to the lack of comparisons, unlike modern audiences who are bombarded with many different interpretations of things; for example ghosts. Opposing to the Shakespearian audience views the contemporary audience views a ghost as a crass form of fright due to the over use of such a character, as a twenty-first century audience the use of a ghost is childish, and has a more two-dimensional view for a contemporary audience. As a contemporary culture we are less religious and more
... that the story is representative of how all ghosts behave. Society prefers to consider ghosts as “protectors” or “helpers” rather than as “frighteners” or “killers.”
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet struggles with the abrupt death of his father at the hands of his uncle. It is in the very beginning of the play that Hamlet voices his opinion that death would be a peaceful release. But as the play progresses his attitude begins to slowly doubt the serenity in death. Hamlet had been surrounded by death but had yet to come face to face with it, escaping the lessons the world was trying to teach him. It is within Act 5 scene 1 that Hamlet has a direct confrontation with death, manifested primarily through the discovery of Yorick’s skull, a dear friend from his green world childhood. It is through this experience that Hamlet realizes that death is the true equalizer, that all men are the same in death, stripped of all power and position, and that he too will crumble into dust.
In Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Rosencrantz speaks Act 3 Scene 3 lines 11-23. The lines that he speaks are in response to the Kings request that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern take Hamlet to England immediately. The king feels that Hamlet's madness is a threat to him and tries to convince the men that it is a threat to the kingdom and that it would be in Hamlet's best interest to go to England. During Rosencrantz lines he is in agreement with the King. I believe that the reason he goes along with the king is more out of fear and ignorance, rather then support of what the king thinks. In the passage Rosencrantz offers excuses for what the king wants done, in hopes to justify him.
The word “ghost” originates from the Aged English word “gast,” and its synonyms are “soul, spirit [good or bad spirit], existence, breath,” and “demon” (etymonline.com). In the book, The Woman Warrior, that is, ironically, subtitled as Memoirs of a Girlhood Amid Ghosts, the author, Maxine Hong Kingston, uses the word “ghost” as a metaphor to typify her confusion concerning discovering a difference amid reality and unreality – the difference that divides her American present that prefers and her Chinese past that her mother, Valiant Orchid, filters into her mind across talk-stories that steadily daunt her to cross her established bounds. Ghosts, in the book, change reliant on point of view. Anybody whose deeds deviates from what is satisfactory in one area is a ghost according to the associates of that society. To Chinese people, like Valiant Orchid, Americans are ghosts. On the supplementary hand, Chinese are ghosts according to Chinese-Americans (including Kingston, who finds her past loaded alongside frightening Chinese ghosts). For Kingston, Ghosts, however, are not always scary; in fact, a little of them enthuse...
Chinese culture has many interpretations ghosts. One way they are seen as is people who have disgraced their family or country. An example of this in the novel is Maxine's aunt. She is considered a ghost because she disgraced her family by having a baby outside of marriage. They call her "Ghost! Dead ghost! Ghost! You have never been born." (Kinston 14) She drowns herself in the well to become one of the most feared ghost, the Shui Gui or watery ghost. These ghosts are said to be waiting for their victims, to pull them into the water to take the drowned ones place. In the novel another example of what the Chinese consider ghosts are American people. Sometimes they feel haunted by this unfamiliar culture, just as a ghost would haunt. "But America has been full of machines and ghosts- Taxi Ghosts, Bus Ghosts, Police Ghosts, Fire Ghosts, Meter Reader Ghosts, Tree Trimming Ghosts, Five-and-Dime Ghosts." (Kong 96) These examples are American people of any ethnicity. They are called ghosts because the Chinese are not familiar with the culture. Another example of the unfamiliarity is when, "Her husband looked like one of the ghosts passing the car wind...
In Hamlet and the Ghost Again by John D. Rea, the author gains credibility by implementing ethos and refuting other authors’ claims, essentially strengthening his own. Rea begins by asserting his claim that Hamlet’s belief in the authenticity of his father’s Ghost is questionable and proceeds to provide historical evidence along with strong analysis. By acknowlegding the numerous and redundant works published pertaining to Hamlet, the author strengthens his argument by suggesting that his article raises a new idea, intriguing the audience causing them to read more, further establishing his credibility. The author cites a leading scientist of the 17th century who maintains that apparitions and ghosts of the dead are not the souls of the dead,
...just another person who wants to be friends and not think the ghost will hurt them or that there is anything scary about it. The tale capitalizes on the fact that an adult would be uneasy thinking that a child can play with a ghost without thinking twice, and even more uneasy that a child can see what they cannot, since adults are supposed to be wiser and more able to explain things. The imagination of a child, which can create some astonishing things, is a scary entity.
The play “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”, by William Shakespeare being of such a complicated variety of themes, contains many different story lines as well as being very extensive in nature makes it quite a challenge to be produced and acted. On paper, the reader can translate things, as they like. Since Shakespeare is not around to tell us the meaning of every theme or the truth about every nook and cranny about his works. It is up to the reader to decide what the importance of everything is. Thus when a producer decides to create a film based on “Hamlet” it is most certain that his creation will vary from any others. Each will create their own version of the story, stressing some issues more than others as well as completely leaving sections out. In this essay I will compare Kenneth Branagh’s presentation of the ghost with Franco Zeffirelli’s.
For many years, people have debated whether or not spirits are real. Some people get scared at the fact that there might be something unknown lurking in their house in the middle of the night making their footsteps known to everyone in it. Maybe that person feels watched upon or feel some kind of presence in their home, or even sees shadows moving their way through rooms. Different people around the world have their own opinions based on religion and experiences when talking about angels, demons, and the spirits that have life after death. New technology is getting closer to detecting these energies happening in the world today. The history of haunting dates back many years, and more people want to get involved because of the new technology.
William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, is a ghost story, a detective story and a revenge story all within one plot. Throughout the play, qualities of all three types of stories are displayed. The ghost story consists of Hamlet Senior and the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise at the hands of the present King, Claudius. He is being tortured in hell until his death is properly avenged. The detective aspect of Hamlet is brought about by Hamlet trying to figure out whether or not his fathers ghost was real and also to what, if any extent, his mother the "virtuous" Queen Gertrude was involved with the murder of his Father. Both Hamlet and Laertes, bring yet another aspect to this most versatile play, by seeking revenge for their fathers death, each in their own way. By viewing the play as either one or all of these different aspects we learn to have different perspectives on the play.
his fathers death, and would stop at nothing to take the life of his uncle. His
In traditional and modern, ghost reflects death and fear, and it never change. In Hamlet, the ghost is a symbol of Hamlet’s father who is killed by Claudius. Its propose is to demand Hamlet to avenge its death. Although the ghost only appears three times in front of Hamlet, it is a specify role to develop the whole story and plot. Through Hamlet, the ghost is the motive to make Hamlet kill Claudius, and the ghost plays a critical role to influence Hamlet.
Ghosts are often characters that are a representation of revenge tragedy, especially in Shakespearean plays, such as Macbeth. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ghost is very significant because it influences Hamlet negatively, which ultimately results in his tragedy. The ghost causes Hamlet to get revenge, realize his tragic flaw, and leads to his madness.
Ghosts are not around when everything is going well. They are an extrusion of the supernatural world into the natural. In both Hamlet and Macbeth, their respective states are in trouble. Something has been disrupted and the supernatural comes in and affects the course of action the characters take. Hamlet feels guilty at not having saved his father from death and Macbeth feels guilt for his ambition and murdering his friends. Their guilt presents itself as ghosts. These phantasms disrupt the idea of a state and who the members owe allegiance to. If there is something more attractive offered by the supernatural world, why not take hold of it?
A common motif in Shakespeare’s many plays is the supernatural element, to which Hamlet , with the presence of a ghost, is no exception. The story of Hamlet, the young prince of Denmark, is one of tragedy, revenge, deception, and ghosts. Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural element helps give a definition to the play by being the catalyst of the tragedy that brings upon Hamlet’s untimely demise. The ghost that appears at the beginning of the play could possibly be a satanic figure that causes Hamlet to engage in the terrible acts and endanger his soul. The supernatural element incorporated into the play is used as an instigator, a mentor, as well as mediation for the actions of the protagonist that ultimately end in tragedy, with the loss of multiple lives, as well as suscept Hamlet’s soul to hell. Shakespeare’s portrayal of the ghostly apparition causes a reader to question whether the ghost is a demonic force on the basis of its diction, conduct towards others as well as Hamlet, and it’s motive to kill.