Hamlet 1.4

1. This scene is relatively short compared to the others in act 1. In scene 4 of act 1 Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus enter on the guard platform where it is very cold. Moments later they here trumpets and Hamlet explains that the new king and queen at that moment are "celebrating" after the wedding. Next, the ghost enters but does not speak in front of all of them. The ghost beckons to Hamlet who are argues that he should follow the ghost, because the ghost may show him something important. Marcellus and Horatio attempt to stop him from going but Hamlet runs off anyway and the other two decide to follow close behind him.

2. The significance of this scene is to characterize Hamlet and show his faith as opposed to Horatio's reason. This scene develops a spectrum as the ghost represents the spiritual world and Horatio represents the world of reason; Hamlet is caught in between the two.

7. I can reason with Hamlet in this scene. If someone told me they saw my fathers ghost I would be much more curious than they would to follow it. I understand how curious he must be, especially because there may be a message that the ghost must deliver to him. If he had already scene a ghost, what is there not to believe could have! Hamlet did the right thing in following the ghost. What does he have to lose, his dad just died and his mother married his uncle!