Enter Barnardo and Francisco, two sentinels.
Explanation: Two guards are introduced. They are ordinary soldiers tasked with keeping watch over the castle at night.
Analysis: By opening with sentinels instead of the royal family, Shakespeare immediately gives a sense of fear and tension, as night watch implies danger or unrest.
Theme: Duty, vigilance, the looming threat of disorder.
Language Device: Stage directions—showing that the play begins with action rather than exposition, drawing the audience immediately into suspense.
BARNARDO Who’s there?
Explanation: Barnardo challenges anyone approaching the watch post. This was a common way for guards to identify each other at night.
Analysis: This line sets a tone of suspicion and anxiety. The phrasing is abrupt and interrogative, reflecting the uncertainty of night and the unknown.
Theme: Fear, mistrust, uncertainty.
Language Device: Rhetorical question; creates immediate tension and establishes the theme of uncertainty.
FRANCISCO Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.
Explanation: Francisco responds, asking Barnardo to identify himself.
Analysis: The formal, almost militaristic language (“unfold yourself”) reflects the strict hierarchy and order expected in the castle, even among ordinary guards.
Theme: Order vs. chaos—nighttime and ghosts symbolize chaos threatening the ordered world of Denmark.
Language Device: Imperative language (“answer me,” “stand”)—conveys authority and seriousness.
BARNARDO Long live the King!
Explanation: Barnardo greets Francisco with a loyal salutation.
Analysis: This greeting emphasizes loyalty to the monarchy, which is central to the play’s exploration of power and succession. It also foreshadows the later theme of political instability after the king’s death.
Theme: Loyalty, monarchy, respect for authority.
Language Device: Exclamatory statement—expresses strong emotion, reinforcing loyalty.
FRANCISCO Barnardo?
BARNARDO He.
Explanation: Francisco checks the guard’s identity. Barnardo confirms.
Analysis: The terse exchange is abrupt and cautious, reflecting the uncertainty and mistrust of night-time guards. It also demonstrates how security and communication are fragile in a tense environment.
Language Device: Short, clipped dialogue—creates a realistic, tense atmosphere.
FRANCISCO You come most carefully upon your hour.
BARNARDO ’Tis now struck twelve. Get thee to bed, Francisco.
Explanation: Francisco notices that Barnardo is punctual. Barnardo says it’s midnight and dismisses him.
Analysis: Midnight is traditionally associated with supernatural occurrences. This establishes ominous foreshadowing. Francisco’s line emphasizes watchfulness and ritual, while Barnardo’s reply reflects the mundane routine of guards, contrasting with the supernatural that is about to emerge.
Theme: Time as symbolic; order vs. the unknown; supernatural foreshadowing.
Language Device: Imagery of midnight, evoking darkness and fear; symbolism—midnight as the threshold between day and night, life and death.
**FRANCISCO For this relief much thanks. ’Tis bitter cold,
And I am sick at heart.**
Explanation: Francisco thanks Barnardo for relieving him and complains about the cold and his unease.
Analysis: His line conveys both physical discomfort and psychological tension. “Sick at heart” suggests anxiety, hinting at the political unease in Denmark following King Hamlet’s death.
Theme: Fear, human vulnerability, the emotional impact of political instability.
Language Device: Metaphor (“sick at heart”) conveys inner turmoil; sensory imagery (“bitter cold”) emphasizes discomfort and sets a bleak mood.
BARNARDO Have you had quiet guard?
FRANCISCO Not a mouse stirring.
Explanation: Barnardo asks if anything unusual happened. Francisco replies that it has been quiet.
Analysis: The contrast between the expected quiet and the upcoming ghost emphasizes foreshadowing. “Not a mouse stirring” underscores silence before a supernatural or political disruption, a common literary device.
Theme: The calm before the storm; uncertainty.
Language Device: Idiom (“not a mouse stirring”) conveys quietness effectively, building tension.
**BARNARDO Well, good night.
If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,
The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.**
Explanation: Barnardo wishes Francisco good night and instructs him to inform Horatio and Marcellus if he sees them.
Analysis: Introduces Horatio and Marcellus, who will witness the ghost. The mention of “rivals” can hint at competition or tension among the guards, though here it is more playful. The line sets up the next stage of the narrative.
Theme: Duty, communication, anticipation.
Language Device: Foreshadowing—the appearance of Horatio and Marcellus hints at the coming supernatural events.
Enter Horatio and Marcellus.
Explanation: Two more characters arrive, important for observing the ghost.
Analysis: Their entrance shifts the scene from ordinary guard duty to the central narrative of the supernatural. Horatio’s presence also introduces the rational voice who will attempt to explain the ghost logically.
Theme: Observation, reason vs. the supernatural.
FRANCISCO I think I hear them.—Stand ho! Who is there?
HORATIO Friends to this ground.
Explanation: Francisco challenges the new arrivals. Horatio responds that they are friends.
Analysis: The repeated questioning reinforces suspicion and tension. Horatio’s calm, measured response contrasts with the guards’ fear, showing him as a rational and educated character.
Theme: Fear vs. reason, friendship, trust.
Language Device: Contrast between panic and calm; dramatic tension through dialogue.
HORATIO Friends to this ground.
Explanation: Horatio introduces himself as a friend, signaling that he comes in peace.
Analysis: His measured and formal speech contrasts with the tense, suspicious atmosphere created by the guards. Horatio’s calm, rational tone reflects his role as the voice of reason.
Theme: Friendship, trust, rationality vs. fear.
Language Device: Formal diction—sets him apart from the common soldiers.
MARCELLUS And liegemen to the Dane.
Explanation: Marcellus confirms loyalty to the Danish crown.
Analysis: Reinforces the theme of allegiance and hierarchy. Loyalty is central to the scene: the guards serve the king even after his death, emphasizing order amid uncertainty.
Language Device: Economical phrasing emphasizes allegiance succinctly.
Theme: Loyalty, duty.
FRANCISCO Give you good night.
Explanation: Francisco dismisses them courteously, signaling the end of his shift.
Analysis: Marks the transition from one set of characters to another, moving the focus to Barnardo, Marcellus, and Horatio.
Theme: Routine, order.
Language Device: Polite farewell—reflects formal social structure of Elsinore.
MARCELLUS O farewell, honest soldier. Who hath relieved you?
Explanation: Marcellus politely asks who is taking over the guard.
Analysis: Highlights camaraderie among soldiers and respect for duty. It also subtly reminds the audience of the continuity of watch, a motif tied to vigilance and anticipation.
Language Device: Exclamatory phrase conveys respect and politeness.
FRANCISCO Barnardo hath my place. Give you good night.
Explanation: Francisco explains that Barnardo replaces him and exits.
Analysis: This sets the stage for Barnardo and Marcellus to take the central role in witnessing the supernatural.
Theme: Duty, routine.
Francisco exits.
Stage Direction: Marks a shift from ordinary soldiers to the characters involved with the ghost.
MARCELLUS Holla, Barnardo.
Explanation: Marcellus calls out to Barnardo to begin the night’s watch.
Analysis: The greeting is informal, signaling camaraderie. It also builds anticipation, as they prepare to discuss the ghost.
Language Device: Exclamatory greeting—adds realism and immediacy.
BARNARDO Say, what, is Horatio there?
Explanation: Barnardo asks if Horatio has arrived.
Analysis: Shows slight surprise or uncertainty about Horatio’s presence. This reflects the nervous atmosphere, as Horatio is skeptical about the ghost.
HORATIO A piece of him.
Explanation: Horatio confirms his presence in a playful or understated way.
Analysis: The casual tone contrasts with the anxiety and formality of the soldiers, highlighting Horatio as rational yet approachable.
Language Device: Colloquial phrasing—lightens the tension briefly, establishing character contrast.
BARNARDO Welcome, Horatio.—Welcome, good Marcellus.
Explanation: Barnardo greets them warmly.
Analysis: Expresses relief and camaraderie, emphasizing loyalty and friendship, which are important amid the looming tension.
HORATIO What, has this thing appeared again tonight?
Explanation: Horatio asks if the ghost has been seen again.
Analysis: Introduces the central supernatural element and foreshadows the ghostly events. Horatio’s curiosity reflects rational inquiry into the unknown.
Theme: Supernatural, curiosity vs. fear.
Language Device: Direct question—builds suspense.
BARNARDO I have seen nothing.
Explanation: Barnardo has not witnessed anything unusual yet.
Analysis: This creates suspense for the audience, as we know the ghost may appear but haven’t seen it yet.
**MARCELLUS
Horatio says ’tis but our fantasy
And will not let belief take hold of him
Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us.
Therefore I have entreated him along
With us to watch the minutes of this night,
That, if again this apparition come,
He may approve our eyes and speak to it.**
Explanation: Marcellus explains that Horatio, being rational, does not yet believe in the ghost, so they’ve brought him to witness it firsthand.
Analysis: This passage establishes Horatio as logical and scholarly, while the soldiers are superstitious and fearful. The phrase “dreaded sight twice seen” emphasizes the haunting and ominous nature of the ghost. The mention of “watch the minutes of this night” emphasizes time, vigilance, and anticipation.
Theme: Reason vs. superstition, observation, fear, the supernatural.
Language Devices:
Contrast between fantasy (fearful imagination) and rationality.
Diction: “Dreaded sight” evokes fear.
Foreshadowing: The ghost will appear to confirm the soldiers’ accounts.
HORATIO Tush, tush, ’twill not appear.
Explanation: Horatio dismisses the idea that the ghost will show itself.
Analysis: Reinforces Horatio’s skepticism and rational approach. His attempt to calm the soldiers contrasts with the growing tension of the scene.
Language Device: Onomatopoeic dismissal (“tush, tush”)—informal, humanizing him, showing reason tempered with a touch of disbelief.
**BARNARDO Sit down awhile,
And let us once again assail your ears,
That are so fortified against our story,
What we have two nights seen.**
Explanation: Barnardo urges Horatio to listen carefully to their experiences over the past two nights.
Analysis: Shows the soldiers’ insistence and the importance of testimony in the play. The phrase “fortified against our story” emphasizes Horatio’s resistance to believing in the supernatural.
Theme: Truth vs. disbelief, persistence, fear of the unknown.
Language Devices:
Metaphor: “Assail your ears”—presents storytelling as almost violent, reflecting urgency.
Personification: Horatio’s ears are “fortified,” implying resistance.
**HORATIO Well, sit we down,
And let us hear Barnardo speak of this.**
Explanation: Horatio agrees to listen.
Analysis: Shows openness to evidence, blending rational inquiry with curiosity. This also sets the stage for the ghost’s eventual appearance.
**BARNARDO Last night of all,
When yond same star that’s westward from the pole
Had made his course t’ illume that part of heaven
Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,
The bell then beating one—**
Explanation: Barnardo begins narrating the ghostly event from the previous night. He describes the time (1 AM) and celestial imagery (the star in the west).
Analysis: Shakespeare uses celestial imagery to create a sense of cosmic order disturbed, a recurring motif symbolizing political and social disorder in Denmark. “The bell then beating one” evokes time and suspense, as night-time hours are associated with the supernatural.
Theme: The supernatural, cosmic order vs. human affairs, fear, uncertainty.
Language Devices:
Imagery: Visual celestial imagery (“star that’s westward from the pole”).
Alliteration: “Made his course to illume”—smooth poetic flow.
Foreshadowing: Night and celestial events mirror the eerie, unnatural events to come.
Enter Ghost.
Stage Direction: Marks the first on-stage appearance of the ghost.
Analysis: The dramatic entrance instantly shifts the mood from suspense to fear and awe. Shakespeare uses stage directions sparingly but effectively to create visual tension.
Theme: Supernatural, fear, disruption of natural order.
**MARCELLUS
Peace, break thee off! Look where it comes again.**
Explanation: Marcellus urges the others to be quiet and notices the ghost approaching again.
Analysis: The abrupt tone shows alarm and awe. Marcellus’ words also convey urgency, as silence is necessary to witness the supernatural.
Language Devices:
Exclamation: “Peace!” expresses shock and authority.
Imagery of appearance: “Look where it comes again” focuses attention, enhancing suspense.
Theme: Supernatural, fear, vigilance.
**BARNARDO
In the same figure like the King that’s dead.**
Explanation: Barnardo confirms that the ghost resembles the late King Hamlet.
Analysis: The repetition of “same figure” emphasizes accuracy of the apparition, suggesting it is not a trick or illusion. The guards’ recognition of the king introduces political undertones, as the dead king’s ghost hints at unrest in Denmark.
Theme: Supernatural, political unease, death.
Language Devices: Simile/metaphor (“like the King that’s dead”) for visual identification.
**MARCELLUS, to Horatio
Thou art a scholar. Speak to it, Horatio.**
Explanation: Marcellus urges Horatio, the educated and rational observer, to communicate with the ghost.
Analysis: Horatio represents reason and logic; the guards rely on his learning to confirm the ghost’s authenticity. This highlights reason vs. fear.
Theme: Rationality vs. superstition, authority of knowledge.
**BARNARDO
Looks he not like the King? Mark it, Horatio.**
Explanation: Barnardo again emphasizes the ghost’s resemblance to the king.
Analysis: Reinforces the fear and awe the ghost inspires. The repetition shows their preoccupation with appearances, connecting to themes of appearance vs. reality.
Language Devices: Rhetorical question—heightens suspense and draws Horatio (and the audience) into the moment.
**HORATIO
Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder.**
Explanation: Horatio acknowledges the resemblance, admitting he feels both fear and awe.
Analysis: “Harrow” suggests deep emotional disturbance, combining dread and fascination. Horatio’s response humanizes the rational character, showing even the educated are affected by the supernatural.
Theme: Fear, wonder, human vulnerability, supernatural influence.
Language Devices: Juxtaposition of fear and wonder—reflects Shakespeare’s exploration of human emotion.
**BARNARDO
It would be spoke to.**
Explanation: Barnardo suggests the ghost needs to be addressed verbally.
Analysis: Shows belief in the power of speech and human agency even against supernatural entities.
**MARCELLUS
Speak to it, Horatio.**
Explanation: Marcellus repeats the suggestion, urging Horatio.
Analysis: The repetition emphasizes urgency and the need for action; suspense grows as the ghost remains silent.
**HORATIO
What art thou that usurp’st this time of night,
Together with that fair and warlike form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march? By heaven, I charge thee,
speak.**
Explanation: Horatio addresses the ghost formally, asking who it is and commanding it to speak. He notes the ghost appears in the king’s military attire, recalling the late king’s majesty and warlike deeds.
Analysis:
“Usurp’st this time of night” suggests the ghost is intruding into the natural order, a recurring motif in Shakespeare.
Refers to political and cosmic disruption; the king’s form symbolizes the honor, authority, and power of Denmark, now ghostly and ominous.
Horatio’s appeal to heaven emphasizes seriousness and authority, giving the scene a ritualistic, almost religious tone.
Theme: Supernatural, authority, order vs. disorder, duty, fear.
Language Devices:
Formal diction and elevated tone—reflects Horatio’s education and seriousness.
Imagery: “Fair and warlike form” evokes visual majesty.
Personification/anthropomorphism: Ghost embodies Denmark’s past glory.
**MARCELLUS
It is offended.**
Explanation: Marcellus observes that the ghost seems displeased, perhaps refusing to answer.
Analysis: The ghost’s silence adds mystery and tension, suggesting it has a purpose or message rather than being a harmless vision.
Theme: The unknowable nature of the supernatural, fear, suspense.
**BARNARDO
See, it stalks away.**
Explanation: Barnardo notes the ghost begins to leave.
Analysis: The ghost’s movement signals elusiveness; it cannot be controlled or understood easily. This reinforces the theme of appearance vs. reality—what is seen may not be fully comprehended.
**HORATIO
Stay! speak! speak! I charge thee, speak!**
Explanation: Horatio repeats his command, desperate for answers.
Analysis: Shows human desire for explanation and control over the unknown. Repetition of “speak” reflects escalating urgency and fear.
Ghost exits.
Stage Direction: The ghost departs, leaving the characters—and audience—in suspense.
Analysis: Departure emphasizes elusiveness and mystery. Shakespeare builds tension by showing the ghost but withholding information.
Theme: Supernatural, uncertainty, suspense.
**MARCELLUS
’Tis gone and will not answer.**
Explanation: Marcellus observes the ghost’s refusal to speak.
Analysis: Confirms the ghost’s mysterious purpose, highlighting the human inability to fully understand supernatural events.
**BARNARDO
How now, Horatio, you tremble and look pale.
Is not this something more than fantasy?
What think you on ’t?**
Explanation: Barnardo observes Horatio’s reaction and asks if he now believes the ghost is real.
Analysis: Suggests the experience is beyond imagination or fear-induced hallucination. Barnardo challenges Horatio’s skepticism.
Theme: Reality vs. imagination, fear, perception.
Language Device:
Rhetorical question—draws attention to doubt vs. belief.
Visual imagery: “tremble and look pale” conveys fear physically.
**HORATIO
Before my God, I might not this believe
Without the sensible and true avouch
Of mine own eyes.**
Explanation: Horatio admits that he would not have believed the ghost without seeing it for himself.
Analysis: Highlights the theme of empirical evidence vs. superstition. Even the rational Horatio is compelled to acknowledge the supernatural because he witnessed it personally.
Theme: Appearance vs. reality, human reason confronted with the supernatural.
Language Device:
Religious oath: “Before my God” emphasizes seriousness.
Diction: “Sensible and true avouch”—formal and legalistic, emphasizing evidence.
MARCELLUS Is it not like the King?
Explanation: Marcellus asks Horatio to confirm if the ghost resembles the deceased King Hamlet.
Analysis: The repeated questioning emphasizes the uncanny resemblance and reinforces the supernatural tension. It also signals the guards’ concern about the political implications of the ghost’s appearance.
Theme: Supernatural, loyalty, fear of disorder.
Language Device: Rhetorical question—draws attention to the uncanny and encourages audience engagement.
HORATIO As thou art to thyself.
Explanation: Horatio confirms the ghost is identical to the late king, as one person is to themselves.
Analysis: The simile conveys perfect likeness, emphasizing the ghost’s authenticity and gravity. Horatio’s rational observation also validates the guards’ claims.
Theme: Reality vs. appearance, the supernatural.
Language Device: Simile—“As thou art to thyself” for perfect resemblance.
**HORATIO Such was the very armor he had on
When he the ambitious Norway combated.**
Explanation: Horatio notes that the ghost wears the same armor King Hamlet wore in battle against Norway.
Analysis: Armor connects the ghost to historical and military achievements, reinforcing themes of honor, valor, and national identity. It also highlights Denmark’s past strength, which may contrast with current instability.
Theme: Legacy, honor, political/military unrest.
Language Device: Historical allusion—refers to past wars to deepen context.
Imagery: Vivid visual of the king’s battle armor.
**HORATIO So frowned he once when, in an angry parle,
He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.
’Tis strange.**
Explanation: Horatio recalls the king’s anger and aggression in a past military encounter with Polish soldiers (“Polacks”).
Analysis: Connects the ghost to historical deeds, reminding the audience that King Hamlet was a warrior king. “’Tis strange” conveys awe and fear. The ghost’s silent repetition of historical actions suggests unfinished business or looming danger.
Theme: Legacy, war, supernatural, political foreshadowing.
Language Device:
Imagery: “Sledded Polacks on the ice” creates a vivid battle scene.
Alliteration: “Frowned… furious” (implied tone) emphasizes aggression.
Tone: Strange/ominous.
**MARCELLUS
Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,
With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.**
Explanation: Marcellus notes that the ghost has appeared twice before at midnight, moving in a military manner.
Analysis: Reinforces the pattern of apparition, suggesting deliberate intent. “Dead hour” (midnight) symbolizes time when natural order is disrupted, heightening supernatural tension.
Theme: Supernatural, suspense, order vs. chaos.
Language Device:
Alliteration: “Martial stalk” emphasizes military presence.
Symbolism: “Dead hour” symbolizes darkness, fear, and the unknown.
**HORATIO
In what particular thought to work I know not,
But in the gross and scope of mine opinion
This bodes some strange eruption to our state.**
Explanation: Horatio admits he does not know the ghost’s purpose, but believes its appearance foreshadows political upheaval or disaster.
Analysis: Introduces foreshadowing of national trouble. The ghost is not merely a personal or spiritual symbol—it is a harbinger for the state of Denmark, linking supernatural elements to political instability.
Theme: Political unrest, foreshadowing, supernatural as omen.
Language Devices:
Elevated diction: “Gross and scope of mine opinion” adds formality and seriousness.
Foreshadowing: Predicts future turmoil.
**MARCELLUS
Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows,
Why this same strict and most observant watch
So nightly toils the subject of the land,
And why such daily cast of brazen cannon
And foreign mart for implements of war,
Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task
Does not divide the Sunday from the week.
What might be toward that this sweaty haste
Doth make the night joint laborer with the day?
Who is ’t that can inform me?**
Explanation: Marcellus wonders aloud why Denmark is preparing for war: the guards are vigilant, cannons are cast, trade for weapons is ongoing, and shipbuilders work without pause.
Analysis:
Marcellus links the ghostly appearance with national unease, suggesting supernatural events are tied to political/military actions.
“Night joint laborer with the day” emphasizes unusual urgency, symbolizing Denmark’s instability.
Shakespeare contrasts past glory (King Hamlet) with current tension, preparing the audience for themes of political corruption and unrest.
Theme: Political instability, militarization, fear of invasion, duty.
Language Devices:
Rhetorical questions: Express confusion and build dramatic tension.
Imagery: “Sweaty haste…night joint laborer with the day” evokes toil and unrest.
Alliteration: “Strict and most observant watch” emphasizes vigilance.
HORATIO That can I.
Explanation: Horatio responds to Marcellus’ question, claiming he knows why Denmark is on high alert.
Analysis: Horatio establishes himself as knowledgeable and rational, bridging the supernatural (ghost) and political (war preparations) elements.
Theme: Reason, authority of knowledge, rational explanation.
**At least the whisper goes so: our last king,
Whose image even but now appeared to us,**
Explanation: Horatio references the deceased King Hamlet, whose ghost has appeared to them.
Analysis: Connects the supernatural appearance to historical events, emphasizing that the ghost’s presence may signal political consequences.
Theme: Supernatural, legacy, foreshadowing.
Language Devices:
Personification: “Whose image…appeared” gives ghostly form to history.
Allusion: References past king and deeds.
**Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,
Thereto pricked on by a most emulate pride,
Dared to the combat;**
Explanation: Horatio recounts that King Hamlet was provoked by Fortinbras of Norway’s pride and challenged him to battle.
Analysis: Introduces the political and military conflict underlying the current tension. “Emulate pride” suggests that human ambition and pride drive conflict—a recurring theme in the play.
Theme: Pride, honor, political conflict.
Language Devices:
Personification: Pride drives action (“pricked on by a most emulate pride”).
Elevated diction: Formal, historical style emphasizes significance.
**in which our valiant Hamlet
(For so this side of our known world esteemed him)
Did slay this Fortinbras, who by a sealed compact,
Well ratified by law and heraldry,**
Explanation: King Hamlet killed Fortinbras, who had legal claims to certain lands confirmed by formal agreements.
Analysis: The passage emphasizes justice, legality, and honor in warfare, reinforcing Hamlet’s father as a heroic figure. This establishes contrast with current uncertainty under Claudius.
Theme: Honor, law, legitimacy, political power.
Language Devices:
Parenthetical aside: “For so this side of our known world esteemed him” adds historical validation and audience context.
Legal terminology: “Sealed compact…ratified by law and heraldry” underscores the importance of order and agreements.
**Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands
Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror.**
Explanation: Fortinbras lost his lands and life to King Hamlet.
Analysis: Highlights the stakes of war and legitimacy, showing that land, honor, and life are intertwined. Foreshadows that Fortinbras’ son may attempt to reclaim these lands, creating political tension.
Theme: War, consequence, legitimacy, inheritance.
**Against the which a moiety competent
Was gagèd by our king, which had returned
To the inheritance of Fortinbras
Had he been vanquisher, as, by the same comart
And carriage of the article designed,
His fell to Hamlet.**
Explanation: Part of the land that would have gone to Fortinbras was instead claimed by King Hamlet, as stipulated in legal agreements.
Analysis: Highlights careful legal arrangements and underscores political maneuvering. The complex phrasing emphasizes the seriousness and intricacy of political matters.
Theme: Law, order, political legitimacy.
Language Devices:
Formal legal diction: “Moiety competent…comart…carriage of the article” emphasizes sophistication and authority.
**Now, sir, young Fortinbras,
Of unimprovèd mettle hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there
Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes
For food and diet to some enterprise
That hath a stomach in ’t;**
Explanation: Young Fortinbras, eager and inexperienced (“unimprovèd mettle”), gathers mercenaries (“lawless resolutes”) for an unspecified military action.
Analysis: Shows impulsiveness and ambition of the next generation, foreshadowing potential invasion or conflict. “Hath a stomach in ’t” indicates boldness and courage.
Theme: Political ambition, war, threat to stability, generational conflict.
Language Devices:
Metaphor: “Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes” – like a predator gathering resources.
Elevated diction: Adds gravity to the political explanation.
**which is no other
(As it doth well appear unto our state)
But to recover of us, by strong hand
And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands
So by his father lost.**
Explanation: Fortinbras’ goal is to reclaim the lands lost by his father through force.
Analysis: Connects personal ambition to national threat, showing Denmark’s current state of alert is justified. Shakespeare links supernatural warning (ghost) to political threat, reinforcing tension.
Theme: Revenge, political instability, territorial conflict.
Language Devices:
Formal phrasing: Adds authority and historical weight.
Legal and forceful diction: “Strong hand…terms compulsatory” emphasizes aggression.
**And this, I take it,
Is the main motive of our preparations,
The source of this our watch, and the chief head
Of this posthaste and rummage in the land.**
Explanation: Horatio concludes that Fortinbras’ threat explains Denmark’s military preparations and the intense vigilance of the guards.
Analysis: Provides a rational explanation for the political unrest, connecting it to the ghostly omen. The word “rummage” conveys frantic, thorough activity, emphasizing urgency.
Theme: Duty, vigilance, political instability, preparation for war.
Language Devices:
Metaphor: “Chief head” for main reason.
Alliteration: “Posthaste and rummage” emphasizes speed and intensity.
**BARNARDO
I think it be no other but e’en so.**
Explanation: Barnardo agrees with Horatio’s interpretation of the ghost as a sign of something significant.
Analysis: Shows the guards’ recognition that the ghost is not a trivial apparition but portentous, signaling a serious event.
Theme: Supernatural as omen, recognition of unusual events.
Language Device: Archaic phrasing (“e’en so”) lends solemnity and formality.
**Well may it sort that this portentous figure
Comes armèd through our watch so like the king
That was and is the question of these wars.**
Explanation: Barnardo suggests it is fitting that the ghost, appearing in armor like the late King Hamlet, is tied to the cause of Denmark’s military tensions.
Analysis: The ghost embodies both the past king’s military might and the current unrest, making the supernatural a reflection of political reality.
Theme: Political unrest, supernatural as prophecy, legacy of the past.
Language Devices:
Imagery: “Comes armèd through our watch” creates a visual of a ghostly warrior.
Symbolism: Armor represents authority, past power, and military strength.
**HORATIO
A mote it is to trouble the mind’s eye.**
Explanation: Horatio says that the ghost, though a small visible object, deeply disturbs the imagination.
Analysis: Even a seemingly small or subtle sign can unsettle the mind, emphasizing the power of the supernatural.
Theme: Fear, influence of the supernatural, perception vs. reality.
Language Devices: Metaphor (“mote…trouble the mind’s eye”) compares ghostly sight to a speck that disturbs thought; personification—the mind is “troubled.”
**In the most high and palmy state of Rome,
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,**
Explanation: Horatio refers to Rome at its peak before Julius Caesar was assassinated.
Analysis: Introduces historical precedent, implying that supernatural signs often precede political collapse. Shakespeare parallels Denmark’s unrest with Rome’s.
Theme: Political instability, fate, historical cycles.
Language Devices: Allusion to Julius Caesar; elevated diction (“palmy state”) emphasizes Rome’s greatness.
**The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead
Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets;**
Explanation: Horatio recounts that before Caesar’s death, the dead appeared in the streets—a warning of catastrophe.
Analysis: Suggests that supernatural events foreshadow human turmoil. The imagery creates horror and suspense.
Theme: Supernatural as omen, fear, foreshadowing.
Language Devices: Imagery (“squeak and gibber”), personification of the dead, emphasizing unnatural disruption.
**As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,
Disasters in the sun; and the moist star,
Upon whose influence Neptune’s empire stands,
Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse.**
Explanation: Celestial signs—comets, blood-like dews, eclipses—appeared, showing that cosmic disturbances accompany political crises.
Analysis: Suggests a connection between celestial events and earthly turmoil, reinforcing Renaissance beliefs about astrology and fate.
Theme: Fate, cosmic order, omens, political instability.
Language Devices:
Imagery: Stars, blood, fire, and eclipse create awe and dread.
Personification: “Neptune’s empire…was sick,” attributing human traits to stars.
Symbolism: Eclipses signify disruption of natural and social order.
**And even the like precurse of feared events,
As harbingers preceding still the fates
And prologue to the omen coming on,
Have heaven and Earth together demonstrated
Unto our climatures and countrymen.**
Explanation: Horatio concludes that omens—both supernatural and celestial—serve as warnings of future events.
Analysis: Reinforces the idea that the ghost signals political danger or catastrophe, connecting fate, human affairs, and cosmic signs. Shakespeare emphasizes that both heaven and earth reveal impending trouble.
Theme: Fate, prophecy, supernatural warning, political instability.
Language Devices:
Metaphor: Omens as “prologue” to events.
Personification: Heaven and Earth act to demonstrate events.
Elevated diction: Formal and serious, reinforcing significance.
Foreshadowing: Prepares audience for future conflict.
Enter Ghost.
Explanation: Stage direction indicates the ghost appears again, creating dramatic tension.
Analysis: The ghost’s physical appearance heightens suspense and signals that something significant and supernatural is occurring.
Theme: Supernatural, suspense, foreshadowing.
Language Device: Stage direction emphasizes visual drama and anticipation.
But soft, behold! Lo, where it comes again!
Explanation: Horatio notices the ghost and calls attention to its sudden appearance.
Analysis: Expresses astonishment and urgency, drawing audience focus to the ghost.
Theme: Awe, fear, the supernatural.
Language Device:
Exclamatory phrases: “But soft! Lo!” conveys surprise and reverence.
Imperative: “behold” engages both characters and audience.
I’ll cross it though it blast me.—Stay, illusion!
Explanation: Horatio bravely approaches the ghost, calling it an “illusion” but willing to confront it.
Analysis: Shows Horatio’s rational courage; he is both fearful and inquisitive, balancing human skepticism with curiosity.
Theme: Courage, reason vs. fear, curiosity about the supernatural.
Language Device:
Personification of illusion—treats ghost as something that can “blast” him.
Dash emphasizes hesitation and dramatic pause.
It spreads his arms.
Explanation: The ghost gestures with its arms.
Analysis: Nonverbal communication conveys mysterious intent, suggesting the ghost wants to interact or signal something, but remains silent.
Theme: Supernatural, mystery, communication beyond words.
Language Device: Stage direction/imagery—visual detail emphasizes tension.
**If thou hast any sound or use of voice,
Speak to me.**
Explanation: Horatio attempts to communicate with the ghost, asking it to speak.
Analysis: Shows his desire to understand the ghost’s purpose, reflecting human need to find meaning in supernatural events.
Theme: Communication with the unknown, quest for knowledge, curiosity.
Language Device: Repetition of “speak to me” emphasizes urgency and desperation.
**If there be any good thing to be done
That may to thee do ease and grace to me,
Speak to me.**
Explanation: Horatio asks if there is any action that can benefit both the ghost and himself.
Analysis: Reflects a sense of morality and reciprocity—Horatio seeks to act honorably and cautiously.
Theme: Duty, morality, supernatural guidance.
Language Device: Polysyndeton (repetition of “and”) emphasizes layered obligations and careful reasoning.
**If thou art privy to thy country’s fate,
Which happily foreknowing may avoid,
O, speak!**
Explanation: Horatio hopes the ghost might reveal secrets about Denmark’s future that could help prevent disaster.
Analysis: Links the supernatural to political prophecy, reinforcing the idea that the ghost’s appearance foreshadows state troubles.
Theme: Fate, prophecy, political unrest, responsibility.
Language Device: Rhetorical question / appeal to spirit—conveys urgency and hope.
**Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life
Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,
For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,
Speak of it.**
Explanation: Horatio considers the ghost might be a spirit bound to earthly treasures, a common superstition.
Analysis: Shows awareness of folk beliefs about restless spirits, highlighting human attempts to rationalize the supernatural.
Theme: Supernatural, human curiosity, mystery, morality.
Language Device: Imagery—“womb of earth” evokes treasure hidden underground.
**The cock crows.
Stay and speak!—Stop it, Marcellus.**
Explanation: The rooster crows, signaling dawn, and the ghost departs. Horatio tries to stop it.
Analysis: The cock acts as a natural law forcing the ghost’s retreat, linking cosmic/natural order with the supernatural.
Theme: Order vs. chaos, supernatural governed by natural law.
Language Device: Onomatopoeia implied (crowing), stage direction tension, imperatives create urgency.
**MARCELLUS
Shall I strike it with my partisan?**
Explanation: Marcellus considers attacking the ghost with his weapon.
Analysis: Shows human instinct to react with force against the unknown, contrasting with Horatio’s rational approach.
Theme: Human fear, rationality vs. instinct.
Language Device: Rhetorical question conveys hesitation and tension.
**HORATIO
Do, if it will not stand.**
Explanation: Horatio reluctantly allows Marcellus to act, showing caution.
Analysis: Balances bravery and prudence; Horatio respects the ghost’s majesty and fears unnecessary violence.
Theme: Respect for supernatural, prudence, hierarchy of power.
Language Device: Conditional statement emphasizes measured judgment.
**BARNARDO & HORATIO
’Tis here.**
Explanation: Both confirm the ghost’s presence.
Analysis: Reinforces the shared witness of the ghost, establishing credibility.
Theme: Reality of supernatural, verification, shared human experience.
Language Device: Repetition emphasizes certainty.
Ghost exits.
Explanation: Stage direction showing the ghost leaving.
Analysis: Departure at dawn emphasizes the ghost’s link to darkness and mystery, leaving humans with fear and questions.
Theme: Supernatural, fleeting nature of knowledge.
**MARCELLUS
’Tis gone.
We do it wrong, being so majestical,
To offer it the show of violence,
For it is as the air, invulnerable,
And our vain blows malicious mockery.**
Explanation: Marcellus reflects that it was wrong to threaten the ghost; it is untouchable, like air, and any attack would be futile.
Analysis: Shows human powerlessness before the supernatural, emphasizing awe and respect.
Theme: Powerlessness, majesty of the unknown, respect for supernatural.
Language Device:
Simile: “As the air” conveys intangible, invulnerable nature.
Alliteration: “Vain blows…malicious mockery” emphasizes futility.
**BARNARDO
It was about to speak when the cock crew.**
Explanation: Barnardo notes the ghost might have communicated but was interrupted by dawn.
Analysis: The ghost’s silence maintains mystery, building suspense for the audience and highlighting limits of human knowledge.
Theme: Supernatural, suspense, timing and fate.
**HORATIO
And then it started like a guilty thing
Upon a fearful summons. I have heard
The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,
Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat
Awake the god of day, and at his warning,
Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,
Th’ extravagant and erring spirit hies
To his confine, and of the truth herein
This present object made probation.**
Explanation: Horatio explains that spirits retreat at the crowing of the rooster, which heralds day, showing that the ghost’s departure confirms its supernatural nature.
Analysis: Establishes that natural order (daybreak) limits supernatural action, connecting cosmic/natural law with ghostly phenomena. “Probation” implies proof of the ghost’s reality.
Theme: Supernatural vs. natural order, cosmic influence, proof of reality.
Language Devices:
Simile: “Like a guilty thing” conveys fear and urgency.
Personification: Cock “trumpet…awake the god of day.”
Imagery: Vivid depiction of spirit retreating across all elements (sea, fire, earth, air).
Elevated diction: “Extravagant and erring spirit hies to his confine” emphasizes solemnity.
**MARCELLUS
It faded on the crowing of the cock.**
Meaning: The ghost vanished at the rooster’s crow.
Analysis: Reinforces the belief that dawn dispels spirits, symbolizing the triumph of light/order over darkness/chaos.
Themes: Supernatural bound by natural order, good vs. evil.
Devices: Symbolism – the rooster as herald of day and divine protection.
**Some say that ever ’gainst that season comes
Wherein our Savior’s birth is celebrated,
This bird of dawning singeth all night long;**
Meaning: Around Christmas, the rooster is believed to crow all night long.
Analysis: Connects Christian tradition to natural cycles, suggesting Christmas brings protection and holiness to the world.
Themes: Christianity, holiness of time, divine order.
Devices: Folklore reference – blending superstition with Christian belief.
**And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad,
The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallowed and so gracious is that time.**
Meaning: During this season, no ghost or evil force can move; nights are safe from harm, witchcraft, or misfortune.
Analysis: Suggests that Christ’s birth sanctifies time itself, neutralizing supernatural threats. This reflects Elizabethan belief in the cosmic harmony of sacred times.
Themes: Christianity vs. superstition, divine protection, purity.
Devices:
Alliteration: “fairy…takes…witch hath power to charm.”
Religious imagery: “hallowed…gracious.”
**HORATIO
So have I heard and do in part believe it.**
Meaning: Horatio has heard this belief and somewhat accepts it.
Analysis: Shows his balance between rational skepticism and openness to belief, consistent with his earlier role as the cautious scholar.
Themes: Faith vs. reason, human attempts to explain the supernatural.
**But look, the morn in russet mantle clad
Walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.**
Meaning: Morning, dressed in a reddish cloak, rises over the eastern hill.
Analysis: Beautiful personification of dawn, symbolizing renewal, order, and the banishment of night’s terrors.
Themes: Order restored, nature’s cycle, hope.
Devices:
Personification: Morning “walks.”
Imagery: “Russet mantle” evokes warmth and majesty.
**Break we our watch up, and by my advice
Let us impart what we have seen tonight
Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,
This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.**
Meaning: Horatio advises they end their watch and tell Hamlet what they saw, since the ghost may speak to him.
Analysis: This line connects the ghost to Hamlet directly, foreshadowing the central conflict of the play. It suggests that the ghost’s silence is deliberate, awaiting Hamlet.
Themes: Duty, fate, foreshadowing.
Devices: Foreshadowing—the ghost will reveal its purpose only to Hamlet.
**Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it
As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?**
Meaning: Horatio asks if they agree it is their duty and out of love for Hamlet to tell him.
Analysis: Shows loyalty to Hamlet and a sense of moral responsibility.
Themes: Duty, loyalty, friendship.
Devices: Appeal to love and duty strengthens moral argument.
**MARCELLUS
Let’s do ’t, I pray, and I this morning know
Where we shall find him most convenient.**
Meaning: Marcellus agrees and says he knows where Hamlet can be found.
Analysis: Confirms their unity of purpose—an important setup for Act 1, Scene 2.
Themes: Duty, loyalty, preparation.
They exit.
Stage Direction: The scene closes.
Analysis: Their departure at dawn reflects a structural shift from mystery and fear to a sense of duty and preparation for Hamlet’s involvement.
Themes: Transition from night to day, foreshadowing Hamlet’s fate.
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