Shakespeare’s well-known play "Hamlet" continues to impact audiences with its content and performances. But what makes this play so intriguing?
The character of the Ghost undoubtedly imparts the element of spiritual awareness to the crowd. People are interested in what lies behind the natural world, and the Ghost gives them insight into what is present “behind the scenes.” Those who encounter the Ghost question if he is truly the spirit of Hamlet’s father or is actually just innately demonic.
I think he is clearly part of demonic scheming given his motive, his means and the overall effects he creates. The Ghost is an evil spirit who desires to deceive and destroy Hamlet, employs timing as a weapon in his strategy and fills Hamlet with a state of melancholy and revenge such to accomplish his purpose.
The devil is called the father of lies in John 8, and his workers join in this deception. The Ghost is a deceiver in the play and appears as the only character who can deceive Hamlet. First, the Ghost shows up to Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo, who tell Hamlet they have seen his father’s ghost. Hamlet is immediately suspicious and continues to question the sincerity of the Ghost. He wonders if the Ghost is a “spirit of health or goblin damned, / Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell." Although he appears to be the ghost of his father, is he really?
Throughout the play, Hamlet reveals his frustration with the evil around him. He considers the world an “unweeded garden” that is “gross in nature." Before the Ghost enters Hamlet’s presence, Hamlet ponders over the “mole of nature” in our characters as he refers back to humanity’s original state before the fall of Adam and Eve. Hamlet desires creation’s primary beauty and the peace residing there. The Ghost does not provide this peace for he displays a figure from Hamlet’s past and an unresolved situation. There is no peace or resolution if there is a ghost, especially one of Hamlet’s dead father.
While the Ghost reminds Hamlet of his father and the lack of peace he has around the incident, he uses the opportunity to encourage Hamlet to revenge his father by killing the murderer, Hamlet’s uncle. The Ghost deceives Hamlet into thinking revenge is a means to obtaining peace. This begins an inward battle in Hamlet as to whether or not revenge will provide relief from the grief and madness that falls upon him. Hamlet himself recognizes the craft in the Ghost and attempts to attribute it as his own. He tells his mother, “I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft." This is where the Ghost has ultimately deceived him and remains in disguise, causing Hamlet to believe his madness is his enemy, not the Ghost.
In addition to the craftiness of his deception, the Ghost visits Hamlet during specific timeframes. First, the Ghost appears when Hamlet is vulnerable from mourning and overwhelmed by the evil around him. Hamlet’s mood changes drastically after their first encounter when the Ghost commissions him, marking the beginning of his madness. The Ghost then leaves him to drown in despair and temptation to avenge. When the opportunity to kill his uncle arises, Hamlet believes his uncle could possibly go to heaven. Hamlet decides not to take revenge and let his uncle suffer consequences on earth. The Ghost reappears after Hamlet murders Polonius and tells him, “Do not forget. This visitation / Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose." Hamlet’s hunger for revenge is stifled over time, and the Ghost comes to stir it back up. He seizes the opportunity after Hamlet murders Polonius because the effect of committing a sinful act includes it being easier to recommit.
Additionally, the Ghost appears at the time when Hamlet exposes his mother’s sin of marrying his uncle quickly after his father’s death. Gertrude responds: “Oh, Hamlet, speak no more! / Thou turn’st mine eyes into my very soul." When looking at her sin, Gertrude has the opportunity to repent. However, after his appearance to Hamlet, the Ghost prevents this repentance. The Ghost tells Hamlet to “step between her and her fighting soul!” This proves his evil motives and how he uses timing to his advantage.
While Hamlet has questioned the Ghost’s sincerity and possible evil scheming in their initial encounter, he continues to wonder if his state of melancholy is influenced by the Ghost. He cries out, “The spirit that I have seen may be the devil, and the devil hath power t’assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps, out of my weakness and my melancholy, as he is very potent with such spirits, abuses me to damn me." Hamlet notes the “pleasing shape” when the Ghost appears as his father. This is similar to Matthew 7:15-16 where a wolf in sheep’s clothing is related to a false teacher. The key in recognizing these types of spirits and people is to “recognize them by their fruit” (vs. 16).
Hamlet realizes the fruit of the Ghost’s interaction with him has filled him with melancholy, depression, and madness. The Ghost has used this in order to give Hamlet a greater desire for peace, thus making him more likely to take revenge. Finally, Hamlet gives in to this urge and murders his uncle. Reflected in his last words, Hamlet is still immersed in the grief of the effects of his wretched mother.The revenge did not provide peace, but complete and utter destruction, ultimately fulfilling the Ghost’s purpose.
The Ghost is a corrupt spirit who strategically uses deception and timing to destroy Hamlet by the effects of depression and vengeance. Looking back at the Ghost’s purpose for oppressing Hamlet, the reader sees that he is an evil spirit he desires to destroy Hamlet. Because Hamlet is a very intelligent, superior individual, the Ghost must utilize much craft and deception in order to overtake Hamlet.
