The King's Catastrophic Ghost

The King’s Catastrophic Ghost

Hamlet is another of the greatest tragic plays William Shakespeare wrote in the 1600s. Hamlet in the play Hamlet is king Hamlet’s son. Claudius, king Hamlet’s brother, murdered him with poison and married his wife, Hamlets mother. Hamlet suspected his uncle of killing his father, but he did not have enough facts to back it up and he was already depressed because of his mother, Gertrude’s hasty marriage. Horatio is Hamlet’s servant and best friend; he was one of the first people to the king Hamlet’s ghost in its war like form. Horatio is also the person to inform Hamlet about his father’s ghost. When Hamlet first saw the ghost, it aggravated him that the ghost would not speak to him until he followed it to the middle of the forest. When the ghost finally spoke, all that came out from its month was bad news. He told his son Hamlet about the fact that he his stock in purgatory and he his constantly tormented with flames. The ghost than told Hamlet the way he was poisoned to death by his own brother. At that moment Hamlet was already in dilemma, not knowing if the ghost was a good or bad ghost and what are the evidence he is going to have in other to kill Claudius. The king’s ghost manipulation in the play forever changes Hamlet, and caused most of the killing, deaths and destruction in the play.

The ghost seeing Hamlets thoughts and curiosity for answers gave him more ways he could use to manipulate his son into destruction. After Claudius and Gertrude’s wedding, before Hamlet even saw the ghost he said out of anger: “Let me not think on �t; frailty, thy name is woman!— / A little month, or ere those whose were old / with which she followed my poor father’s body, [ . . . ] / Would have mourned longer–married with my uncle, / My father’s brother, but no more like my father” (1.2.146-152). This quote reveals the anger and disappointment Hamlet felt towards Claudius and Gertrude. The feeling that Hamlet felt in his soul made it easier for the ghost to manipulate him. When the ghost started to talk, he made sure hamlet knew how the word of his month could affect him: “I could a tale unfold whose lightest word / Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood [ . . . ] / Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres, / And each particular hair to stand on end / like quills upon the fretful porcupine” (1.5.16-21). This quote emphasize on the fact that the kings ghost knew what he was doing to his son and what type of influence he could have on his son. The ghost knew how much Hamlet loved and cared for him, so he made it seem like Hamlet was doing what he aught to do rather that what he actually wanted him to do.

Although, it might seem like the king’s ghost was only seeking revenge, but all did was bring about tragedy and ciaos. Hamlet also suspected that the ghost might me demonic when he said: “The spirit that I have seen / May be a devil: and the devil hath power / T’assume a pleasing shape [ . . . ]” (2.2.24-26). This quote expatiates on Hamlet’s state of mind. It shows how difficult it is for him to accept his father’s ghost, but his state of mind overcame his conscience. This made it capable for the ghost to influence him. The ghost has filled Hamlets heart with vengeance and sympathy. Sympathy because he knows Hamlet will always remembers the fact that Claudius killed King Hamlet without any warning or any time for him to purify his soul before he killed him: “Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin, / Unhousell'd, disappointed, unaneled, / No reckoning made, but sent to my account / With all my imperfections on my head. / O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!” (1.5.77-81). Hamlet suspected of what his father might have done to be in purgatory, he felt like if he had done something bad will he was still living what make’s him think that his exactly not what he his doing again. Hamlet also thought how getting revenge could help someone that is in purgatory. The ghost finally realized he had gotten through to Hamlet when he said: “Ay, thou poor ghost, / while memory holds a seat / In this distracted globe. Remember thee! / Yea, from the table of my memory / I'll wipe away all trivial fond records” (1.5.97-100). This quote shows how the ghost has finally manipulated Hamlet in other for Hamlet to feel great sympathy towards it.

However, getting sympathy from Hamlet was not only what the ghost was after, he also wanted to make sure if it does not have his wife, no one else could. The ghost affection for the queen Gertrude is also a reason why the king’s ghost brought disaster upon them, because in whatever he told hamlet to do, he made sure he does not physically hurt his mother. The ghost’s jealousy and affections toward