The opening scene sets the tone of the play – a play shrouded in mystery and horror.

The ghost appears

to the night guards, a shadowy figure resembling much in the dress and the armour of the late king. The
appearance of dead king’s ghost has a profound effect upon the night guards as Marcellus remarks:
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”. Although Horatio will not believe in the ghost until
witness of his eyes; it appearance “harrows him with fear and wonder”. It is not made to speak rather
“stalks away majestically”. The ghost appears twice in the opening scene but does not vouchsafe a reply
to Horatio’s questions. Hamlet is amazed at the idea of his father’s apparition:

“My father’s spirit in arms! All is not well/ I doubt some foul play.”

Hamlet himself is dumbfounded at the sight the ghost. The ghost makes the shocking revelation of its
murder to Hamlet. It further enjoins on Hamlet the sacred duty of avenging his “foul and the most un-
natural murder”. The ghost’s injunctions are very clear:

“Let not the royal bed of Denmark be/A couch for luxury and damned incest”.

The awful revelation of the ghost forms the soul of the tragedy and drives the entire action.

Verity points out:

“Without the ghost’s initial revelation of truth to Hamlet, there would be no occasion for revenge; in
other words no tragedy of Hamlet.”

Hamlet’s mind is assailed with doubt whether or not this apparition is a demon sent from hell, or if it is
truly his father’s spirit which has come from purgatory, to divulge the horrors of his murder, in the hope
of revenge:

“The spirit that I have seen/ May be the devil and the devil hath power/To assume a pleasing shape.”

To verify the truth of the ghost’s statement, Hamlet first feigns madness, and then gets enacted
mousetrap play to “catch the conscience of the king”. During the play Hamlet closely watches Claudius’
reaction when the actors perform the murder scene. Hamlet’s plan works and his uncle in a fit of
discomfort runs out the room, where Hamlet goes after him. Now, Hamlet knows that Claudius is guilty.

Afterwards Hamlet finds Claudius at prayer, confessing his sins:

“O, my offence is rank it smells to heaven/It hath primal eldest curse upon it/A brother’s murder.”