In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the Ghost's use of cynical diction and vicious imagery in his speech emphasizes his contempt for Claudius and Gertrude, aligning the reader with Hamlet's vengeful feelings towards them. The Ghost's description of Claudius as "incestuous" and Gertrude as a seemingly-virtuous queen creates a negative perception of them in the reader's mind. The imagery of the serpent and garbage used by the Ghost reinforces this negative perception, creating a vivid picture of Claudius and Gertrude's actions that aligns the reader with Hamlet's disdain for them.
Act 1, scene 5 of Shakespeare's Hamlet is Prince Hamlet's first encounter with his deceased father who exists between the borders of life and death, presenting himself as a ghost
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By having the Ghost speak in such a hateful, and passionate manner about Claudius and Gertrude, Shakespeare can convey Hamlet's feelings toward them without the need for extensive dialogue on Hamlet's end. Although Hamlet is nearly silent for the majority of his father's speech, it is clear by a combination of the little words Hamlet does speak, and his father's uninterrupted fury that Hamlet is enraged by this knowledge. The language used in the speech provides Hamlet with the reasoning which dictates his motivation and actions throughout the play and introduces the major theme of revenge, serving as a call to action for Hamlet. While the ghost heavily encourages his son to avenge his murder, he is careful to warn Hamlet of the dangers of revenge. He warns Hamlet not to wrongfully unleash his revenge on his mother. This foreshadows the story's later events as Hamlet descends toward madness, demonstrating the consequences of revenge as well as Hamlet's struggle with his morality. Because Shakespeare chose to include the ghost's warning, he was able to introduce the major themes of morality and revenge in a very powerful and memorable