Hamlet - Fear and Suspense in Act 1 Scene 1

Barnardo, one of the two sentinels asks Francisco “Have you had quiet guard?” This makes him seem nervous, as though he is expecting something to have gone wrong. Horatio goes on to explain the story behind the play, and why the king is in armour, building the suspense even further, and mystifying the audience as to why the ghost is walking. The scene provides the play with an appropriate beginning to Shakespeare’s tale of revenge and madness. He then goes on and asks Francisco to hurry the rivals of his watch, showing that he does not wish to be on his own, and has a feeling of anticipation about him.

The theme continues with short and sharp sentences, designed to quicken the pace the play is read at, reinforcing the feeling of fear and suspense. It was thought that when a person was not at rest, he or she had a reason to haunt, possibly unfinished business, or in this case revenge. This almost creates a hint of dramatic as the audience begins to realise that the ghost is likely to appear.

Shakespeare uses a combination of effects throughout this scene, and successfully creates the desired atmosphere.

As the scene goes on, and the ghost exits for the first time the three guards discuss what they have seen.

Once the ghost has appeared the other two guards rely on Horatio to speak to it. Horatio adds to the atmosphere by showing his disbelief of the apparition. However, the way these lines are written suggests that the pace should be fast, implying a sense of fear and tension within the two guards.

Line 9 in Act 1 also reveals the guards tension. Not only does the audience feel suspense in the events preceding the appearance of the ghost, but also fear when it does reveal itself.