Suspense In Hamlet

In act 1 scene 2 of “Hamlet” the character Hamlet speaks his first soliloquy which reveals his innermost thoughts and feelings to the audience. In this soliloquy Hamlet’s unstable state of mind is evident as well as his feelings of despair about his father’s death and his disgust of his mother’s remarriage to his uncle Claudius. Hamlet’s hatred for his uncle is shown through harsh comparisons between Claudius and his late father. This soliloquy takes place after Claudius has begun his reign as king and has addressed the court for the first time but before Hamlet hears about the apparition that Horatio and the guards have seen. Hamlet’s character and personality are shown in this soliloquy through the use of classical imagery, diction and

Hamlet questions the true intentions of the ghost and whether it be “a spirit of health or goblin damn’d,” (1.4.669). The Ghost enlightens the Prince of the treason committed by his uncle Claudius, which Hamlet doubts the legitimacy for an instance. According to “Hamlet’s Precarious Emotional Balance,” “Hamlet conceives a way out of his uncertainty, a way to make certain that he has not, because of his melancholy, simply hallucinated the ghost's revelations or been tricked by an evil spirit,” (Lidz). Hamlet develops a scheme to “catch the conscience of the king” by staging a play that depicts the murder of King Hamlet precisely (2.2.581).

Hamlet and Laertes share a different but deep love and concern for Ophelia. Before his leave to France, Laertes provides lengthy advice to Ophelia pertaining to her relationship with Hamlet. Laertes voices his concern of Hamlet's true intentions towards Ophelia and advices her to be some what wary of his love. Laertes tells Ophelia

In this scene, they waited for the apparition to appear as it had the nights before. When the Ghost finally appears to the men, it signals Hamlet to follow it into removed grounds. Hamlet decides he will follow the Ghost despite his friends’ qualms. Hamlet’s decision to disregard the potential danger and follow this Ghost suggests that Hamlet is still without a purpose and takes little caution as a result Horatio and Marcellus see how reckless he is being and attempt to hold him back. However, they are unable to as he tells them in line ninety-one that his fate is crying out to him and pulls out his sword and tells them to unhand him. By saying his “fate cries out,” Hamlet gives yet another example of his desire to find purpose and he feels that he can find one by following the

Hamlet has thrust upon him the dual responsibility of avenging his father and becoming a man. These new responsibilities push Hamlet’s already fragile sanity over the edge into madness. “Hamlet experiences anxiety both because of the dysfunction of previous masculine roles and because of his shames at their loss, a loss he holds himself accountable for” (Rosen, 63). Hamlet is instantly roused from a bout of depression at Horatio’s news of the ghost. Hamlet undoubtedly feels that this ghost might be able to put his mind at rest.

In Act1, scene 5, Hamlet is waiting with his friends, Horatio and Marcellus, for the Ghost of his father to appear. From the previous acts, it is clear that Hamlet is already unsettled by his father’s recent death and

Besides, Polonius has to find a people that he can trust to watch and spy of what Laertes did in France. “Give him…notes, Reynaldo” (2:1:1) , “Before you… make inquire” (2:1:4) 2) Ophelia was so upset to see the condition of Hamlet. He was so not organized as what Ophelia had described in the novel. Hamlet came to approach Ophelia in a sign

He tells Laertes to be a friend but not to overdo it. Not to lend money or borrow money, or he will lose friends, as this can turn from a friendship to a business relationship which could be bad. Polonius tells Laertes to true and never become false or support false. He also tells Laertes to be true to himself and not to be so vulnerable. He mentions give your opinions but reserve your judgements.

We get more insight into Hamlet's mind after he meets the ghost of his father. He is speaking to his confidant and friend Horatio:

       In Act I, Scene II, one is first made aware of the strength of Hamlet's relationship with Horatio when the latter informs Hamlet that he has seen what he believes is the ghost of the former King Hamlet. This introduction to the relationship between Horatio and Hamlet demonstrates the strong bonds of trust and confidence they share. Unlike the other characters who have seen the apparition and would choose to shrink away from it, Horatio, recognizing the ghost for who it might be, tries to make contact with it, albeit unsuccessfully. After this initial contact, and recognizing the significance of what he has witnessed, it is Horatio that takes Hamlet into his confidence to relate what he has seen. "As I do live, my honored lord, 'tis true, / And we did think it writ down in our duty / To let you know of it" (1.2. 220-222). Horatio gives Hamlet a very detailed account of the sighting, answering Hamlet's questions with the honesty and insight of a concerned friend. It is obvious by Horatio's candor that he is neither fearful of Hamlet's response, nor is he concerned that Hamlet will not believe his accounting of the event.

Towards the beginning of Hamlet Laertes is leaving Denmark to make his place in the world. At the beginning of the play, Polonius speaks to his son and gives him advice because he knows his son's character very well. Famously Polonius tells his boy, "This above all: to thine own self be true" (I. iii. 78). He is told to do what he feels to be right, indicating that if he listens and thinks then maybe he will not err in his actions. Laertes is hot-headed and quick to act, rash behaviors which his father worries will get him into trouble. Physically, no description of Laertes is given, but he is usually played by an

This helps to further the revenge theme because Hamlet is getting his friend, Horatio, to help with his dirty plan: which is to see if the ghost it telling the truth.

But meanwhile the ghost – “this thing” – has appeared. (Horatio as skeptic raises questions as to its status which could have been avoided.) There has been speculation as to its purpose, but one thing seems sure:

Hamlet is not the first one to see the ghost, Marcellus and Bernardo were. The next night it appeared to Horatio as well. It was only after its first two appearances that Hamlet got a chance to see the ghost. At this point the reader doesn't have much of a choice but to take the ghost at face value. If several characters saw the ghost…there must really be a ghost. It's not until Hamlet's second encounter with the ghost that the reader is asked to decide whether they buy into the idea of the ghost being real.

The three questions that Horatio asked to the ghost of Hamlet sr. were : If you can speak to me, please talk?. If there is something needs to happen,then talk to me?. If you know the future of this country, then tell me?.