The Ghost In Shakespeare's Hamlet

The Ghost, or the former King of Denmark, is arguably the most important character in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. While he is not necessarily the most prominent, such as the Prince Hamlet, his presence creates the entire plot of the play: young Hamlet’s tragic downfall. There is no questioning the fact that without the King’s death, there would be no play. He is the source of all drama and anguish, tension and distrust; every character death and every dispute serve as a dramatic effect of the late King’s mysterious death. Like a rock skipped on the surface of a lake, each scene in the play is a ripple in the water, created both directly and indirectly from the Ghost. The late Hamlet’s brief presence in the play has caused the deaths of several important characters, and can be identified as the source of all character developments. Thus, the Ghost can be argued as a very significant existence and is the root of all troubles the many characters face.

The Ghost, although only appearing a few times in the novel, plays the role as the backbone of the entire text. His sudden and infamous demise creates a domino effect of murder, anger, and distrust. The downfalls of each character can be concluded as a direct and indirect effect of the late Hamlet; without meaning to or not, the Ghost has affected almost every character, whether through immediate contact or through another character. His most significant effect is, without a doubt, his son’s tragic downfall. As a famous