Revenge tragedy is, as the notion implies, primarily concerned with revenge and consequently also with death. One naturally raises the question what may happen to all those dead bodies when sudden death has terminated life on earth. Is the physical death coercively accompanied by the soul’s death?
The belief in an afterlife – not only concerning religious conceivabilities – has been popular ever since the beginning of human life. This paper focuses on a very special form of afterlife – the one of being a ghost. Between 1580 and 1590 those “spooky” creatures have been assigned a definite role among the dramatis personae of English (revenge) tragedies: Twenty-six plays written between 1560 and 1610 include fifty-one ghosts (cf. Prosser, 259, Moorman¹, 90), being highly different concerning their outward appearances, the inner life and motifs and their general functions in the play. Aeschylus was the first author using revenge ghosts (named Darius and Clytemnestra) in his plays. Euripides introduced the very first prologue ghost named Polydorus, whose function was to summarize the plot and to connect the chain of events. Seneca, finally, was the first author to combine the Euripidean prologue ghost with the Aeschylean revenge ghost (cf. Moorman¹, 85/86).
This paper focuses on the ghosts in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Kyd’s “Spanish Tragedy”. While Don Andrea and Revenge primary function as prologue ghost and as a commenting and judgemental chorus, dead King Hamlet’s ghost is the “lynchpin” of the play, initiating and pursuing his very own vengeance.
In order to point out the ghosts´ different dramatic functions, they will be compared in terms of the outward appearance (chapter 2.1) and their personal motifs and values (chapter 2.2). Besides, the frequency and manner of occurrences will be analyzed (chapter 3) in order to point out the ghosts´ overall functions in the tragedies (chapter 4).
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Who are the Ghosts?
2.1 The Outward Appearance
2.1.1 Ghost of Don Andrea
2.1.2 Ghost of King Hamlet
2.2 The Ghosts´ Personal Motifs and Values
2.2.1 Ghost of Don Andrea and Revenge
2.2.2 Ghost of King Hamlet
3 Appearances in the Play
3.1 Ghost of Don Andrea and Revenge
3.2 Ghost of King Hamlet
4 The Ghost’s Overall Function
4.1 Ghost of Don Andrea and Revenge
4.2 Ghost of King Hamlet
Objectives and Research Themes
This academic paper examines the dramatic functions and characteristics of ghosts in Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" and Kyd’s "The Spanish Tragedy." The primary research aim is to analyze how these spectral figures act as catalysts, narrators, or moral agents, and how their varying outward appearances and personal motifs shape the narrative structure of the respective revenge tragedies.
- Comparative analysis of ghost manifestations in Elizabethan drama.
- Examination of the "prologue ghost" versus the "initiating ghost" function.
- Interpretation of outward appearance as a symbol of human connection or abstract morality.
- Evaluation of the ambiguity surrounding the ghosts' origins (supernatural vs. demonic).
- The relationship between ghosts and the psychological state of other characters.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.2 Ghost of King Hamlet
In contrast to the lack of information on Don Andrea’s visual nature, the reader of “Hamlet” receives extensive information about the ghost’s external appearance. The apparition combines characteristics typically assigned to ghosts such as being “very pale” (Shakespeare 1.2.232) but it has also remained its human like shape “in the same figure like the king that’s dead” (1.1.39-41), it has a “grizzled beard” (1.2.240) and displays “a countenance more in sorrow than in anger” (1.2.232). It wears the dead King’s marshal truncheon.
Furthermore, it seems to be noteworthy that the ghost even changes its clothes. When it appears to young Hamlet in Gertrude’s chamber, the ghost wears a “night-gown” (3.4.101). Changing an outfit is usually a humane ritual and it seems reasonable to claim that there is no obvious necessity for a ghost to change its clothes. (The sole reason I could think of is that ghosts might stink as well which would consequently imply that they also need to do the laundry which would be a very unlikely occupation for a ghost). I thus argue that Shakespeare intentionally assigned different dresses to the ghost to stress dead King Hamlet’s strong emotional connection to his former life on earth and his unwillingness to accept his new, inhumane role. According to the factors mentioned above, one might deduce that the marshal’s truncheon, for instance, epitomizes strength and the King’s erstwhile role as warrior. Meanwhile, the night-gown symbolizes his lasting sexual desire to share the bed with his former wife Gertrude. The night dress thus is a way to carve out the “territory” he used to own which is now “possessed” by his brother Claudius, who married Gertrude.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the revenge tragedy genre and outlines the comparative focus on ghosts in "Hamlet" and "The Spanish Tragedy."
2 Who are the Ghosts?: Examines the outward appearances and personal motivations of the ghosts, comparing their physical manifestation and psychological traits.
3 Appearances in the Play: Analyzes the frequency, timing, and manner of the ghosts' appearances to determine how they correlate with their dramatic roles.
4 The Ghost’s Overall Function: Investigates the structural and narrative roles of the ghosts, specifically their function as prologue figures, moral judges, or plot catalysts.
Keywords
Ghost, Revenge Tragedy, Hamlet, The Spanish Tragedy, Elizabethan Drama, Supernatural, Dramatis Personae, Shakespeare, Kyd, Afterlife, Dramatic Function, Revenge, Ambiguity, Moral Judge, Purgatory
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper focuses on comparing the dramatic functions of ghosts in William Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" and Thomas Kyd’s "The Spanish Tragedy."
What are the central themes discussed?
The work explores the nature of the afterlife, the theatrical portrayal of revenge, the ambiguity of spectral identities, and the role of ghosts as narrative tools.
What is the core research question?
The research asks how the outward appearance, motivations, and frequency of appearance of these ghosts define their overall function in the development of their respective tragedies.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis, evaluating primary texts against established academic theories and historical ghost beliefs from the Elizabethan era.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section analyzes visual representation, internal motifs, the timing of appearances, and the symbolic function of the ghosts in directing the plot.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Revenge Tragedy, Supernatural, Dramatic Function, Hamlet, and Ambiguity.
How does the author interpret the change of clothes by King Hamlet's ghost?
The author argues that the change from armor to a night-gown is a symbolic act, representing the ghost's lingering emotional ties to his past life and his desire to reclaim his domestic "territory."
Why does the ghost in "The Spanish Tragedy" rely on the character "Revenge"?
The author suggests that Don Andrea functions as a passive, legislative figure who lacks supernatural powers, therefore relying on "Revenge" to act as the executive power to carry out vengeance.
Is the ghost in "Hamlet" considered a "good" or "evil" spirit?
The author emphasizes that the nature of the ghost is intentionally left ambiguous, noting that while it claims to be Hamlet's father, there are several signals suggesting it could be an evil demon.
- Citation du texte
- Katharina Unkelbach (Auteur), 2013, A Comparative Analysis of the Ghosts´ Appearances, Motifs and Functions in Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" and Kyd´s "The Spanish Tragedy", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/231899
