Horatio – Friend of Prince Hamlet
Quotes Exemplification
“Tush, tush, ‘twill not appear.” Repeated colloquial ‘tush’ (shush)
indicates his easy, almost
complacent scepticism
“What art thou usurpest this time Usurp: political connotations, refers
of night” to ghost ‘usurping’ King Hamlets
appearance. Could also have
reference to Claudius usurping –
they aren’t aware of this yet but his
word choice is ironic
“Before my God, I might not this Separates religion and the
believe supernatural – trying to use logos
Without the sensible and true and understand but also believing
avouch the existence of the ghost despite
Of mine own eyes.” rationality
Horatio is putting a lot of power in
his own sanity whereas the other
are less confident, as he’s a scholar
he has more belief in his perception
than the others
“When he the ambitious Norway Paul Cantor, 1989: “The opening of
combated” Hamlet is dominated by this
ominous mysterious and profoundly
ambiguous figure of the ghost
“But in the gross and scope of Horatio is attempting to gather his
mine opinion” evidence and sum up his opinion –
befitting his role as a scholar
“Speak to me” – to the ghost Repetitive use of short imperative
phrases, demanding the ghost to
‘speak’ in order to soother his fright
by relating human qualities to the
inhuman ghost
“And then is started, like a guilty De-personification of an ambitious
thing object – the ghost
Upon a fearful summons”
“What if it tempt you toward the Biblical echoes of ‘flood’ gives the
flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful ghost an almost godlike power
summit of the cliff”
Horatio: “Now cracks a noble
heart.—Good night, sweet
prince,
And flights of angels sing thee
to thy rest!—“
Quotes Exemplification
“Tush, tush, ‘twill not appear.” Repeated colloquial ‘tush’ (shush)
indicates his easy, almost
complacent scepticism
“What art thou usurpest this time Usurp: political connotations, refers
of night” to ghost ‘usurping’ King Hamlets
appearance. Could also have
reference to Claudius usurping –
they aren’t aware of this yet but his
word choice is ironic
“Before my God, I might not this Separates religion and the
believe supernatural – trying to use logos
Without the sensible and true and understand but also believing
avouch the existence of the ghost despite
Of mine own eyes.” rationality
Horatio is putting a lot of power in
his own sanity whereas the other
are less confident, as he’s a scholar
he has more belief in his perception
than the others
“When he the ambitious Norway Paul Cantor, 1989: “The opening of
combated” Hamlet is dominated by this
ominous mysterious and profoundly
ambiguous figure of the ghost
“But in the gross and scope of Horatio is attempting to gather his
mine opinion” evidence and sum up his opinion –
befitting his role as a scholar
“Speak to me” – to the ghost Repetitive use of short imperative
phrases, demanding the ghost to
‘speak’ in order to soother his fright
by relating human qualities to the
inhuman ghost
“And then is started, like a guilty De-personification of an ambitious
thing object – the ghost
Upon a fearful summons”
“What if it tempt you toward the Biblical echoes of ‘flood’ gives the
flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful ghost an almost godlike power
summit of the cliff”
Horatio: “Now cracks a noble
heart.—Good night, sweet
prince,
And flights of angels sing thee
to thy rest!—“
