This is of course the closet scene in which Hamlet has killed Polonius and is arguing with his mother over the fact that she married Claudius. Things are getting 'heated' between the two when the ghost arrives.
Strangely (and unlike the opening scene where it is seen by the soldiers on watch & Horatio) the ghost can only on this occasion be seen or heard by Hamlet, leading Gertrude to conclude that her son was mad, indeed without the 'evidence' of the earlier scene we too may have thought that he was mad.
The ghost actually says very little on this meeting with Hamlet,
Do not forget: this visitation
Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.
But, look, amazement on thy mother sits:
O, step between her and her fighting soul:
Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works:
Speak to her, Hamlet.
He has arrived as he says to turn Hamlet once again toward the killing of Claudius. I would argue anyway that the Ghost is NOT Hamlets father, but a 'goblin damned' that leads all the characters to their doom. If he is in purgatory for his sins, then why is he allowed back to earth to tell his son to go and kill someone? Surely he should be trying to save his son from harm? And if the act of killing Claudius is good, why does the playt end up with all the protagonists dead? Not enough space here, but the ghost is definately suspicious!!
Hamlet considers that the ghost has come to 'tell him off'
Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by
The important acting of your dread command? O, say!
He has moved from being suspicious of the ghost to believing it, he is concerned that he has been too slow to act upon its advice.
Hope this helps!
No comments:
Post a Comment