What is the Function of the Ghost in Hamlet?

Function of the Ghost in Hamlet

Belief in ghosts and spirits was prevalent in England, and in the theater it was assumed that they could be trusted. The Ghost in Hamlet claims itself to be the spirit of the hero’s late father, killed

by Claudius, the present King of Denmark and uncle of Hamlet. It serves at least a three-fold dramatic function. It introduces an element of mystery and fear by creating a tragic atmosphere in the play, motivates the entire action of the play by imposing a task upon Hamlet to take revenge in the wrong doer, and finally shows up the characters and produces a kind of moral effect in them The Ghost In Hamlet appears three times-in Act I, Scene I, Act I, Scenes 4 and 5; and Act III, Scene 4.

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