Hamlet Act 1, Scene 5 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts
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Hamlet follows the ghost as it leads him along, but soon grows tired. He orders the ghost to speak to him, refusing to follow it any farther The ghost assents and turns to speak to Hamlet. The ghost tells the prince that it is nearly time for it to return to purgatory, but before it goes, it has som
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Summary
Hamlet follows the ghost of his father, who tells him that he was murdered by Claudius. The ghost urges Hamlet to seek revenge for the late king's "foul and most unnatural murder." He reveals that Claudius killed the king by pouring poison in his ears while he slept in the garden. The ghost begs Hamlet not to let Claudius get away with murder and turn the throne of Denmark into "a couch for luxury and damnèd incest." Hamlet vows to do all the ghost has asked of him before it vanishes.
Top Highlights
- Hamlet follows the ghost as it leads him along, but soon grows tired. He orders the ghost to speak to him, refusing to follow it any farther
- The ghost assents and turns to speak to Hamlet. The ghost tells the prince that it is nearly time for it to return to purgatory, but before it goes, it has something important to say.
- The ghost makes Hamlet swear to seek revenge for what the ghost is about to tell him, and Hamlet urges the ghost to go on
- The ghost tells Hamlet that it is indeed the spirit of his father.
- He begins speaking of the horrors of purgatory, but laments that everything he wants to say cannot be told to “ears of flesh and blood.
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