Hamlet+1.1

4. Quotations "Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy/And will not let belief take hold of him/Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us" (1.1.28-30). I think that these lines most directly reflect the theme of doubt and disbelief that appears throughout the scene as the guards encounter the mute ghost of the king.

"Before my God I might not this believe/Without the sensible and true avouch/Of my own eyes" also reflects the theme of disbelief in this scene (1.1.66-68).

5. In this scene, Horatio seems to mirror doubting Thomas from the Bible. Although both Marcellus and Barnardo have claimed that they have seen the ghost of Denmark's former king on two, separate occasions, Horatio refuses to believe them at first. As Marcellus says, Horatio "will not let belief take hold of him" until he sees the ghost with his own eyes (1.1.29). It is the same way with Thomas in the Bible. Even though the other disciples had seen Jesus and had had contact with him since his resurrection, Thomas refused to believe that He was, indeed alive. Thomas has to see Jesus with his own eyes before he can actually believe that He is alive.

Staging scene: It would be dark and foggy and the audience would be unable to see the characters talking until the ghost arrived. It would be very quiet. When the King's ghost does make an appearance the fog clears a bit and the apparition makes it's way across the stage. At this point the guards pursue the apparition wanting to speak to the ghost of the dead King. The action on stage becomes a bit hectic as the guards and Horatio pursue the ghost. Then suddenly, over the noise the crow of a cock is heard indicating the arrival of morning and the ghost disappears and once again all is darkness.