How would I show how the dramatist creates the sense of mystery and how would I adequately discuss to what extent the resolution of the mystery is important to the play as a whole?
I'm looking for tips and if anybody could think of any quotes and the basis of what I should be analysing I'd be very grateful.
Thank you.
An air of mystery introduces the play with an appearance by Old Hamlet's ghost. From the very beginning, magical and mysterious suspense is created; questions are posed and left unanswered; vengeance is called for and yet unfulfilled. From the start, we understand that our resolution will only come with his murderer's death, and yet his death is delayed and the theme of madness creeps in.
Hamlet
From the very beginning of the first scene the characters are very "jumpy." When the watch is changed, the soldiers are very leery about who is approaching. When the ghost comes in, they become very worried. Hamlet decides to follow the ghost and his companions are worried that the ghost might hurt him. They are jumpy about the fact that the country seems to be arming itself for reasons that are not easily revealed.
I have my students summarize the action on every page. If you do that, then you begin to get a sense of what is happening.
