The scene starts off with two sentinels or guards . They are called Bernardo and Francisco , in this first part of the scene both of these men are apprehensive, not just because they cannot see each other, but also because they believe that there is an apparition around that area . The quotes “who’s there ?” and “stand and unfold yourself” show the tense and nervous state of the characters. Bernardo must have asked the question based on sound and not sight as it was night ,so there was minimal visibility . Bernardo and Francisco then talk to each other about how the night has been quiet. Marcellus and Horatio enter , this is when Bernardo and Francisco tell Horatio that they have seen an apparition, who looks like their dead king . At first Horatio is skeptical about this, but this skepticism later disappears when he sees the apparition for himself . Unfortunately it disappears quickly.
The guards then talk about how the apparition or ghost they had seen was wearing the same clothes that were worn when Hamlet had fought and defeated the Fortinbras(king) of Norway and had the same frown from when hamlet defeated the Polish. In this time Horatio and Marcellus were talking about how Denmark and Norway were preparing for war. The ghost then enters again and quickly disappears as the ‘cock crows’ .
The men then think to find the dead kings son, prince hamlet, and tell him about the event that has just happened . Horatio believes that the apparition or ghost will speak to the prince, if it is actually the ghost of Hamlet .
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