Hamlet 1.1

1. Summarize: Bernardo comes in the night to relieve Francisco from his duty on guard. Moments later Marcellus and Horatio enter the scene as Francisco is exiting. They discuss the past appearances of the apparition, but Horatio is very skeptical about the ghost being real. Soon the ghost enters the scene and they are all frightened. Horatio, the "scholar" is the only one who actually speaks to the ghost. The ghost resembles the king, Hamlet. More exposition is added about the battle between Hamlet and Fortinbras and the audience finds out that the young Fortinbras seeks revenge and wants his fathers land back. The ghost appears again and they ineffectually attempt to strike at it, but the ghost exits when the cock crows.

2. The significance of this scene is to provide exposition, pull in the audience with the fear of the apparition, and begin to flip the "order."

3. Horatio says "In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell." This line is interesting because Shakespeare in connecting this play to his previous play Julius Caesar. Just like order was completely lost in that play, Horatio foreshadows what may happen in this one. The murder of Caesar was also a sudden event which may indicate a sudden change of events in this play. I liked the allusion Shakespeare incorporated here.