The Ghost Father
The author begins by highlighting the attempts by previous scholars to analyze and debate on the character traits of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s Hamlets. The ghost is often classified on the tendency of the religion. According to some scholars, the ghost is a protestant or catholic. However, Hamlet provides a religious ambiguity and, according to the ghost’s words to Hamlet that “this eternal blazon must not be ears of blood and flesh” as if it wasn’t worth saying what he had already said. According to Murphy (118), the ghost suffered an unnatural death. Ideally, to understand the play better, the motive of the murder of the spirit should be established as brutal or heinous. According to the words of the ghost, his life was prematurely ended by Claudius. The ghost is in armored attire, as Lavater and Horatio reported. They confirm that the spirit is in an aggressive form and looks as if he is ready to fight. At first, the ghost’s intention seems to reveal to hamlet the cause of his death and the need to revenge. However, the primary reason for the appearance of the ghost is to aid in the plot development (Murphy 118). This article also presents a need to understand the characters in terms of contemporary religious controversy.
Lavater’s writings are from a staunch protestant’s point of view. However, his personal opinions cannot be transferred to Shakespeare’s ghost. In “what happens in Hamlet” by J. Dover Wilson, he reasons from his catholic perspective and saying the ghost is catholic and comes from purgatory (Murphy 118). Generally, most scholars have attempted to give their opinions about the ghost in Hamlet. They only do this by paying attention to a few lines that support their view and ignore the other essential parts that could be necessary when making such conclusions.
The content of this article is beneficial as it emphasizes the importance of a complete analysis of an item before making conclusions. According to the author, most scholars conclude just by paying attention to the lines that support their opinions and fail to analyze the whole play critically (Murphy 122). For instance, he confirms that Lavater considers the appearance of the ghost to hamlet as primarily to announce the cause of his death and ask for revenge. However, he also refutes the claim that he made earlier and then confirmed the primary reason for the ghost was to aid in the plot development. This view also similarly applies to other scholars who view the ghost in terms of religious lines.
In conclusion, this article insists on the need to explore and review carefully before giving one’s opinion. For instance, in the play, “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare tells a story of an indecisive character (Hamlet) who is unable to choose the proper course of revenge after his father’s death. The play also reveals the actual intention of the ghost; it not only telling about the cause of his death but also develops the plot of the play. Internal conflict is the primary driver of the plot development. The main themes in the play are the impossibility of certainty, the mystery behind death, and the complexity of actions. However, most reviewers show revenge as the primary and only theme. Finally, it is essential to analyze the plot development of a play to arrive at the correct conclusions when expressing a point of view.