Shakespeare A to Z | Ghosts and Apparitions
Belief in ghosts (spirits of the dead) and apparitions (spirits of other types) was common in Shakespeare’s time. It is not clear whether Shakespeare himself believed in such spirits, but he certainly found them useful as dramatic devices. They appear in many of his plays. Typically, these spirits are seen by some characters but not others, since it was commonly believed that ghosts and apparitions could limit their visibility. For example, in one scene the ghost of Hamlet’s father can be seen by Hamlet but not by his mother, Gertrude.
All of the characters described as ghosts in...
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