Ghosts of Shakespeare

Meghan King
EH 562
Dr. Gates
Midterm Evaluation

Ghosts in Shakespeare

        In William Shakespeare’s plays the concept of ghosts and their significance greatly impact the main characters as well as the course of the plays. Shakespeare used the appearance of ghosts in plays such as Richard III, Macbeth, and Hamlet. In these plays, the apparitions have such dramatic effects on the living that somewhat bring to light what the audience either never knew or gave the nonliving characters one more chance to tell their stories. Shakespeare’s dramatic and strategic use of apparitions were highly accepted and favored in his time period. The Elizabethan culture believed in curses and ghosts and did not take the concept lightly. Thus, although Shakespeare was not the only playwright of his day to use ghosts in his plays and on his stage, his plays affected the audiences like none other.

        Shakespeare’s earliest usage of dramatic ghosts appeared in his play, Richard III. This play revolves around the terrible and merciless tyrant, Richard, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants: the crown and total power. The play introduces Richard as someone with great insecurity but with great manipulation skills. His brothers precede him in his crowning, and he takes it upon himself to do away with both of them along with his nephews with no remorse or recoil. Throughout his murderous affairs, he kills eleven victims of whom he believes could stand in his way for total control and his throne. In Act 5, Scene 3, on the night before the Battle of Bosworth, Richard is visited by the spirits of his eleven victims individually while he is asleep in his tent. Each apparition speaks bitterly to Richard about his or her murder and tells him he will perish in his upcoming battle. Each spirit states to Richard, “Despair and die” (5.3.126) after he or she speaks of his or her fate at Richard’s hand. At the same time, Richard sees the spirits visiting his enemy, and the predicted victor of the battle, Richmond. The spirits encourage Richmond in his sleep and speak of his victory. Each of the eleven ghosts tells Richmond to “Live and flourish,” (5.3.121). Richard is truly shaken by this dream and his visit. When he awakes, he is trembling and sweating and asserts, “I did but dream. O’ Coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!” (5.3.178-179). At this moment, the audience can visually see how the ghosts’ appearance in the play has affected Richard. At this moment, Richard takes a turn from his otherwise viscous nature and speaks of his inner struggle with his conscience and reveals he has nothing but hate for himself as he goes downhill from this point . Richard states,