There seems to be a sense of urgency and panic which leads the audience to wonder what the foundation of their fear is. This is an effective technique as it intrigues the viewers. By opening the play with such a tense mood the audience is instantly drawn into the mystery of the plot, Shakespeare creates an ambience of excitement. This is enhanced when Horatio asks:
“What, has this thing appear’d again tonight?”
The ambiguity of the “thing” in question helps to maintain and develop the uncertainty already present. The following references to the ghost also have a degree of uncertainty and help keep us in suspense:
“this dreadful sight”…..”this apparition”.
In this first scene, we are given insight into the plot of the rest of the play. Talking about the ghost Horatio says,
“This bodes some strange eruption to our state,”
suggesting a war may be imminent and that omens are taken seriously in their society. We learn from Horatio that there has recently been a battle with Norway, where the Old King Hamlet ‘Did slay this Fortinbras ’. So Shakespeare uses the opening moments of the play to establish the political background of the action. The appearance of the ghost as a symbol of the threat of war is continued in Bernardo’s reference to it as “the portentous figure”.
In Act l Scene l Shakespeare introduces certain characters, one of these being Horatio. He seems to be a character respected by the other soldiers. This is shown as they try to persuade him to believe of the existence of the ghost, despite Horatio’s opinion that the two previous sightings may have been mere ‘fantasy’. He is presented to us a trustworthy and figure and one who bases his thoughts on reason: when he sees the ghost he declares,
“Before my God, I might not this believe
Without the sensible and true avouch
Of mine own eyes”
and the theme of reality and fantasy, or the confusion between ‘seemimg’ and ‘being’ is presented to Shakespeare’s audience. Horatio is shown to be noble and commanding in that he is the first to confront the ghost despite it “harrow[ing him] with fear”. Undeterred he shouts:
“Speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!”
It is through Horatio that we are introduced to Hamlet but do not yet meet him. Horatio’s concern for him, and the sensitive references to him by all the characters here would imply that Hamlet is in grief over his father’s death and that Shakespeare intends him to receive the sympathies of the audience. After the disappearance of the ghost, the scene draws quickly to an end yet the excitement and suspense are still present, which is shown in the closing lines:
“Let’s do’t, I pray; and I this morning know
Where we shall find him most conveniently.”
Marcellus’ words leave the audience knowing that he are to meet young Hamlet and that he shall be informed of the appearance of his father’s ghost. A new part of the story is revealed and the prospect of meeting the old king’s son keeps Shakespeare’s audience riveted.
The original audience would have found this scene intriguing and exciting as well as leaving them in suspense. Shakespeare uses powerful dialect and descriptions which allow the audience to experience themselves what the soldiers would have felt. He uses the first scene as an introduction to the rest of the play, dropping hints to what may happen and to what has happened, giving the audience an appetite to fill in the gaps and gain an insight into the details of events to come.
Rudi Schmidt
