II
In act I, scene …show more content…
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
Hamlet. Murder! (1.5.23)
Hamlet is appalled at the revelation that his father has been murdered. The ghost goes on to tell him that the who man poured poison into his ear is the very man who now wears his crown, Claudius. Hamlets focus is now set on killing Cladus and defending his family honor, however he may not be able to do this without losing some sanity. To confuse his mind even more, according to Robert C. Evans, the ghost of Hamlet’s father deliberately makes it difficult for Hamlet to distinguish between good and evil
Thus the ghost plays even here the double role it fulfills throughout the play: it simultaneously unites and divides. It binds Marcellus and Barnardo but separates them from Horatio, just as it will later bond Horatio and Hamlet while separating them from the court at large. The ghost proves a potent catalyst of both friendship and enmity.
Not being able to distinguish what is right or wrong with the ghost’s intentions prompts Hamlet’s insanity even farther.. Hamlet begins to question his reality, and having this interaction with ghost makes it apparent that he needs to take revenge even though he isn’t positive about what is real or fake.