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 tale as 'but ... fantasy' he has nevertheless come out on to the cold battlements at midnight and his words 'Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.' Do not sound so confident or absolutely dent that there may be something to appear. It is also apparently for Horatio's sake that Barnardo begins an account of what they have seen that is interrupted by the appearance of the ghost. The language Barnardo uses as he begins this account is rather poetic 'when you same star that's westward from the pole Had made his course t'illume that part of heaven where he now burns,' the allusion to the pole star suggests a clear direction that is lacking in the play and this beginning puts off any actual explanation till the ghost has actually entered.
The disbelief, first apparent in Hortio's dismissal of the ghost, works throughout the play. Hamlet is unwilling to credit the ghost and obsessively desires proof of his uncles guilt. The men all doubt whether the ghost is a fiend or not and what its appearance portends for the kingdom. Though all the men see it, apparently proving its existence later Gertrude is unable to see the ghost and takes it for a delusion of Hamlets. Indeed some productions of Hamlet have been staged with no ghost and its lines spoken by the actor playing hamlet, as if it were all along merely a illusion of a disturbed mind. In the 17th century ghosts were generally thought to be demons sent to tempt the living into committing evil deeds and this is quite possibly how Shakespeare's original audience would have viewed the spirit.
The ghost's military apparel agrees with the account we later hear of the successes in battle of Old Hamlet and his spirits demands for revenge upon Claudius. It is also provides a contrast between him and Hamlet the tormented young man who cannot seem to bring himself to kill his uncle. The fact that he is holding a truncheon, a military commander's sign of office, confirms him as a leader of men.
In the language used by the men there are frequent references to military language, for example 'fortified against our story', 'Assail your ears' (this being rather like Gertrude's later -'these words like daggers in mine ears' or Hamlets, 'cleave the general ear') which reflects the characters of the men as 'Honest soldiers'.
The line 'Long live the king!' also needs further examination, on one level it merely identifies Barnardo as a friend, but the king is recently dead, the new king doomed soon to die, and Barnardo has seen these past two nights the ghastly figure of the deceased king. And is afraid that tonight it will appear once more to trouble the night. His line 'If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.' Could portray a fear of being left alone to watch.
The scene is one of the most dramatic in the play and the most obviously strange and supernatural. The appearance of the ghost is the beginning of hamlets quest for revenge which is so painfully followed throughout the play. And the character of the ghost just the first of many unanswered questions posed by Hamlet. As well as being one of the Questions that torments the character hamlet and seems to prevent him forming a resolution to his situation. It also shows the ghost of Hamlets father literally watching him, a man of action like Laertes and Fortinbras and something Hamlet feels he must live up to in some way.