Shakespeare does not provide his readers with many direct stage directions in his plays. Comparing Hamlet to – just as an example – the twentieth century play The Glass Menagerie by William Tennessee shows that Tennessee, in contrast to Shakespeare, gives detailed information on how the players should look like, how they should move and speak. There is a whole chapter called “Production Notes.” Each character has a full paragraph describing how he looks like and has to act, even before they appear on stage. The description of a scene’s setting, as another example, fills up to two pages here. (Compare Tennessee 1945)
Shakespeare, in contrast, leaves his readers with many indirect stage directions. Here, the reader has to find hints in the actors’ speeches that tell him how the stage-settings and actors should look like, what mood they are in, and thus how they should speak and move. Detailed studying is therefore necessary in advance of any production. Not only the play itself needs a close look but also the culture and beliefs of Shakespeare’s contemporary audience. The theatres’ possibilities at his time are another aspect.
The following considers a single character in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, namely the ghost of Hamlet’s father. Since ghosts are supernatural and thus do not lead to the same image in everyone’s mind it is important to especially take a look at this character and try to find out how Shakespeare might have wanted it to appear on stage. This paper provides necessary background information, at first, about ghosts and the theatre at Shakespeare’s time. Then, the four ghost scenes in Hamlet are analyzed, considering their staging of the ghost during Shakespeare’s age along the play’s direct and indirect staging instructions.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Background Information
2.1 Ghosts
2.2 Staging Possibilities at Shakespeare’s Time
3. The Four Ghost Scenes
3.1 Act 1, Scene 1
3.2 Act 1, Scene 4
3.3 Act 1, Scene 5
3.4 Act 3, Scene 4
4. Conclusion
5. References
5.1 Primary Literature
5.2 Secondary Literature
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this study is to analyze how the character of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s Hamlet could have been effectively staged during the Elizabethan era, given the limited technical possibilities of the time. The paper investigates the discrepancy between Shakespeare's minimal direct stage directions and the complex requirements of representing a supernatural figure, addressing the following thematic areas:
- The historical interpretation and common perceptions of ghosts during the Shakespearean age.
- Technical constraints and staging possibilities of Elizabethan theatres, including the use of traps, balconies, and stage doors.
- A detailed scene-by-scene analysis of the four appearances of the Ghost in Hamlet.
- The relationship between the Ghost's movements, the play’s dialogue, and the audience's perception.
- The impact of costumes and staging mechanics on character portrayal.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Act 1, Scene 1
In act 1, scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet Barnardo and Marcellus are on guard accompanied by Horatio. It is midnight, as Barnardo mentions (line 7), and “bitter cold,” according to Francisco (line 8) who has just finished his guard. If this play would be performed on an early winter evening, the temperature and light would be suitable for this scene. The guards might hold torches, so the audience would be able to see them. It would be difficult to create a dark and cold scenery in an outdoor-theatre during the day.
The appearance of something, which Marcellus and Barnardo have seen before, is expected. Since Horatio should talk to it, it must have some similarity to a human being, but is called a “thing” (Hamlet, act 1, scene 1, line 21) or an “apparition” (Ham. 1.1.28). The audience is aware of this because of the dialogue they hear before the ghost appears on stage. The attention of the audience is led upwards where Barnardo might point telling them about a star and the illumination of a certain part of the sky by that star. The ghost enters during Barnardo’s speech, probably unseen by the audience at first, because they are following Barnado’s pointing. (Compare Ham. 1.1.21-39)
That the ghost should be played by a human and cannot be represented by a painting, smoke, etc. becomes clear because of its movements, its ability to speak, and the fact that it is recognized as the ghost of the dead king because of its outer appearance (compare Ham. 1.1). Ghosts on the Elizabethan stage were usually clad in burial clothes, white sheets or normal clothes (compare Foakes 2005: 44). This makes Hamlet’s father’s ghost unique, because it wears “complete armour” (Ham. 1.1.39.1), “cap-à-pie” (Ham. 1.2.200) meaning “from head to foot” (Foakes 2005: 35). Foakes mentions that the term “cap-à-pie” also refers to “a kind of heavy armour that encased the whole body” (2005: 35). A picture showing this kind of armor is added by Foakes (2005: 35) making clear that there is no part of the person wearing it that is not covered by steel. According to Shakespeare’s direct stage direction, the ghost wears “its visor raised [and holds] a truncheon in its hand” (Ham. 1.1.39.1-2).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the lack of direct stage directions in Shakespeare’s plays compared to modern drama and defines the focus on the staging of the Ghost in Hamlet.
2. Background Information: This chapter provides definitions of ghosts in the Elizabethan context and describes the structural possibilities of the theatre during Shakespeare’s time.
3. The Four Ghost Scenes: This core section provides a detailed analysis of all four appearances of the Ghost, evaluating potential staging methods based on text analysis and technical constraints.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings and provides a summary guideline for staging the Ghost, emphasizing that despite technical limitations, various effective methods were available.
5. References: This section lists all primary and secondary sources used for the analysis.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Hamlet, Ghost, Staging, Elizabethan Theatre, Trap door, Purgatory, Dramatic performance, Stage directions, Armour, Supernatural, Performance history, Character analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how the character of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s Hamlet was likely staged during the Elizabethan era, exploring how directors and actors utilized the theatre's physical structure to represent a supernatural entity.
What are the central thematic fields?
The research covers theatrical history, the interpretation of Elizabethan beliefs regarding spirits, and the practical analysis of dramatic stagecraft as implied by Shakespeare’s text.
What is the primary research goal?
The aim is to determine how Shakespeare intended the Ghost to appear, move, and exit on stage, while accounting for the technical limitations of the period, such as the lack of electric lighting and sound effects.
Which scientific methodology is used?
The author uses a text-based analytical approach, cross-referencing Shakespeare’s direct stage directions with "indirect" clues found in the characters' dialogue and scholarly research on Elizabethan performance traditions.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body consists of a critical, scene-by-scene examination of the four instances where the Ghost appears in Hamlet, discussing the logic behind specific entrance and exit strategies.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include: Shakespeare, Hamlet, Ghost, Staging, Elizabethan Theatre, Trap door, and Performance history.
Why is the costume of the Ghost significant?
The "complete armour" worn by the Ghost in the first scenes is essential for distinguishing it from other supernatural apparitions and dictates the movement style required by the actor.
How does the "cellarage" scene contribute to the staging analysis?
The scene where the Ghost cries "from under the stage" proves that the use of a trap door mechanism was integral to the performance, directly linking the Ghost to the concept of Purgatory.
- Quote paper
- Helga Mebus (Author), 2007, Staging the ghost in Shakespeare´s "Hamlet" along the possibilities of the theatre at Shakespeare´s time, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/93224
