by Alice George

Created on: May 10, 2009

Shakespeare Essay - The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Analysis of the Opening Scene

'Who's there?' begins Shakespeare's most famous tragedy. Bernardo's question betrays the mood of uncertainty that prevails throughout the play. The first scene of hamlet is not set inside the court and Hamlet himself does not appear. Instead it is set on the battlements outside the castle and the scene is dominated by the ghost. Though the apparition does not speak he is the focus of the scene and the conversation (and fear/awe/wonderment) of Horatio Bernardo and Marcellus. The appearance of the Ghost is one of the most recognisable scenes in Shakespeare; the ghost of a murdered king appearing on the battlements at midnight certainly provides a dramatic opening to the play.

Shakespeare's plays would have originally been performed, for the most part, in an open-roofed theatre, therefore the difficulty the sentinel's have in recognising each other is partly a device to make the audience aware that the scene is taking place in the 'dead hour' of the night, it is dark, they cannot see one another well. But it also gives the beginning of the play an uneasy air. It is hard to be sure of anyone's identity, as well as there identity it is also necessary for them to shout out their allegiance, to 'the king' or 'the Dane' both expressions contain a certain ambiguity considering the recent wonderings of the late king. Fransisco describes himself as being 'sick at heart' despite a quiet watch in which there was 'not a mouse stirring' though this description could be seen as giving an idea of unnatural quiet.

It is not immediately clear to the audience what it is Horatio has been brought to view, the ghost is referred to by Marcellus as 'this thing' and then 'this dreaded sight' and lastly 'this apparition' the audience is aware something strange and dreadful is expected but does not know exactly what form 'this apparition' will take until the ghost itself appears on the stage. Marcellus unwillingness to name the thing could partly be due to an uncertainty as to what the spirit is, whether divine or demonic and what its appearance portends. It also creates suspense among the audience and a certain amount of surprise when the ghost does appear.

In some ways Horatio represents the audience, he is credulous but also curious, and he is the one viewing this for the first time, the others have already seen the ghost twice.

Although Marcellus says Horatio earlier described his

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