Hamlet: Act One Scene One
Act one scene one of Hamlet finds two guards establishing the identities of each other. The first guard, Barnardo is attempting to discern the whereabouts of Francisco, who is on duty, guarding the castle. After they both have discerned the other s identity, Francisco is relieved by Barnardo. Before Francisco leaves the scene, Barnardo asks him to keep an eye open for an additional guard, Marcellus, and Horatio as they are both supposed to be keeping him company. What he does not tell Francisco is the reason why he wishes them to make haste . Marcellus and Horatio arrive before Francisco takes his leave and Barnardo is happy to see them both. Marcellus and Barnardo have stood guard together the previous two evenings and both swear that an apparition has appeared to them during those
Marcellus states that Horatio says tis but our fantasy and will not let belief take hold of him touching this dreaded sight which shows that Horatio does not believe their story, and that the apparition is not something that either wishes to see again . Horatio says that the ghost resembles the deceased King Hamlet and that perhaps it is an omen of darkness in regards to Norway and its people. If the apparition were truly the ghost of King Hamlet, Horatio believed that it was probably attempting to tell them of what or why the balance of life and death had been disturbed, and why he was returning to the people whom he once had led. Horatio states that the appearance of the apparition bodes some strange eruption to our state . Some of the theories Horatio puts forth as to the ghost s purpose gives purpose to that fear. The scene ends with the three men deciding to inform the deceased King s son, Hamlet of what they had seen and experienced. The ghost is further described as harrowing (scary) and being of fair and warlike form . The apparition is also described as being in the same figure, like the king that's dead and that he was wearing the same armour as he had on when he the ambitious Norway combated and that the King had the same angry countenance described as so frown d he once, when in an angry parle, he smote the sledded Polacks on the ice . Horatio believes that it is the ghost of King Hamlet and by establishing this belief, Shakespeare uses the same method as he has in other plays when he portrays other omens, especially the ones he used in Julius Ceasar to portend disaster. Horatio initially scoffs at such stories, but quickly changes his mind when the ghost appears. Shakespeare s supernatural beings are often times seen as omens of death or disaster, therefore, Horatio is frightened by the apparition. When the ghost appears to them, Horatio is fearful stating, it harrows me with fear and wonder .
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