The Ghost Of Hamlet

’s Father Essay, Research Paper

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears very briefly.

However, he provides the basis for the development and eventual downfall of Hamlet’s

character. The play begins with a dismal Hamlet mourning his father’s death

Recognizing this gloom, Queen Gertrude urges Hamlet to “cast thy nighted color off, and

let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark” (I, ii, 68-69). Soon after, the ghost appears,

insisting, “If thou didst ever thy father love, revenge his foul and most unnatural murder”

(I, v, 24-25). As Hamlet decides to scourge the past and present evils in Denmark, the

ghost unleashes death and malice onto the stage.

The first and most obvious change which the ghost instills into Hamlet is a

vengeful spirit. Not only must Hamlet destroy Claudius, but he must also stop Fortinbras

from invading Denmark. Although less obvious, the second task can be inferred from the

fact that the ghost appears wearing “the very armor he had on when he the ambitious

Norway combated” (I, i, 60-61). Hamlet spends the entire play trying to carry out these

orders, eventually causing the downfall of his spirit. Partly because he feels reserve and

guilt for his task, Hamlet delays taking action throughout the play. However, this

paradoxical delay only makes Hamlet feel more guilty. He questions his self-worth and

even considers suicide, pondering, “To die — to sleep — no more; and by a sleep to say

we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to” (III, i, 60-63).

He cannot accept the goodness of life or destroy its evils.

Because of the ghost’s words, Hamlet also becomes increasingly concerned with

his mother’s sexual relations with his uncle. In his first appearance to Hamlet, the ghost

insults his brother saying, “Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast… O wicked wit and

gifts, that have the power so to seduce!–won to his shameful lust the will of my most

seeming-virtuous queen” (I, v, 42-45). Hamlet, adopting this malicious spirit, later

responds to the ghost with a fervent, “O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain,

smiling, damned villain” (I, v, 105-106). Hamlet now has a valid reason to be disgusted

with both his uncle and his mother and proceeds to confront his mother on this incestual

issue. He does this by comparing his father, a “combination and a form indeed which

every god did seem to set his seal to give the world assurance of a man” (III, iv, 61-63),

to his uncle, a “mildewed ear blasting his wholesome brother” (III, iv, 65). Hamlet

focuses on a minute and inconsequential part of avenging his father’s murder; thus, he

delays action even more.

The ghost also induces Hamlet’s preoccupation with death and decay, seen

through Hamlet’s many allusions to the subject. Hamlet makes puns involving death:

“Your worm is your only emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat

ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service-two

dishes, but to one table” (IV, iii, 21-24). He ponders and foresees death: “I see the

imminent death of twenty thousand men that for a fantasy and trick of fame go to their

graves like beds… O from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth”

(IV, iv, 60-66). Hamlet even seems fascinated by death: “That skull had a tongue in it,

and could sing once… That might be the pate of a politician… might it not?” (V, i,

67-71). We can assume that Hamlet was not previously obsessed and intrigued by death

and decay. However, with the ghost’s appearance, and with his increasing feelings of

guilt, Hamlet becomes more macabre and (covertly) depressed.

The ghost ultimately causes Hamlet’s destruction by requiring that his son avenge

his death. The ghost also causes Hamlet’s feelings of self-doubt and guilt thanks to

Hamlet’s procrastination — he never even reaches the task of stopping Fortinbras — and

to his somewhat incestual preoccupation with his mother’s and uncle’s relationship. The

ghost’s influence wrenches Hamlet’s spirit out of its normal frame so that he destroys

himself while simultaneously destroying his enemies.

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