Horatio's Role in Hamlet
True Friends Are Hard To Find
True friends are a rarity. Although many may feel as if their friendships are true, it is only known for certain when that friendship is put to the test. Will it crack under the weight of tragedies and stress, or will obstacles and battles only strengthen it? Horatio, from William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” who remains loyal to his friend Hamlet throughout the entire course of the play, passes this test without ever showing the slightest tendency to betray Hamlet or harm their friendship. Horatio is a true friend and choric figure to Hamlet because of their mutual respect and understanding for one another, because Horatio keeps Hamlet’s darkest secrets while giving him candid and honest feedback, and because he plays a narrative role as a trustworthy character who keeps an objective and rational point of view. We are first introduced to Horatio when Marcellus and Barnardo, the night guards, ask him to confirm their sighting of a ghost and to speak to it, because he “art a scholar” (I.i.51) Horatio faces the ghost and questions it without hesitance or fear, yelling to it, “Stay, speak, speak, I charge thee speak!” (I.i.63) Amanda Mabillard mentions that Horatio is a “calm, resolute, and rational character,” which is “why Hamlet chooses Horatio to become the sole person on whom he can rely.” After Horatio recovers from the initial shock of seeing the ghostly apparition of King Hamlet, one of his first thoughts is that they should tell Prince Hamlet because it is “needful in [their] loves” and “fitting [of their] duty” (I.i.190). When Horatio informs Hamlet that they saw his father’s ghost, Hamlet immediately believes the bizarre tale without a doubt, which further illustrates his deep trust in Horatio. Hamlet interrogates the three of them about specific details, and they decide to meet late that night during watch duty to try to see the ghost again. Upon meeting outside of the tower, the ghost of King Hamlet appears shortly, and
True friends are a rarity. Although many may feel as if their friendships are true, it is only known for certain when that friendship is put to the test. Will it crack under the weight of tragedies and stress, or will obstacles and battles only strengthen it? Horatio, from William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” who remains loyal to his friend Hamlet throughout the entire course of the play, passes this test without ever showing the slightest tendency to betray Hamlet or harm their friendship. Horatio is a true friend and choric figure to Hamlet because of their mutual respect and understanding for one another, because Horatio keeps Hamlet’s darkest secrets while giving him candid and honest feedback, and because he plays a narrative role as a trustworthy character who keeps an objective and rational point of view. We are first introduced to Horatio when Marcellus and Barnardo, the night guards, ask him to confirm their sighting of a ghost and to speak to it, because he “art a scholar” (I.i.51) Horatio faces the ghost and questions it without hesitance or fear, yelling to it, “Stay, speak, speak, I charge thee speak!” (I.i.63) Amanda Mabillard mentions that Horatio is a “calm, resolute, and rational character,” which is “why Hamlet chooses Horatio to become the sole person on whom he can rely.” After Horatio recovers from the initial shock of seeing the ghostly apparition of King Hamlet, one of his first thoughts is that they should tell Prince Hamlet because it is “needful in [their] loves” and “fitting [of their] duty” (I.i.190). When Horatio informs Hamlet that they saw his father’s ghost, Hamlet immediately believes the bizarre tale without a doubt, which further illustrates his deep trust in Horatio. Hamlet interrogates the three of them about specific details, and they decide to meet late that night during watch duty to try to see the ghost again. Upon meeting outside of the tower, the ghost of King Hamlet appears shortly, and
Cited: Mabillard, Amanda. "Horatio." Shakespeare Online. 4 Nov. 2000. 29 April 2007 . Halverson, John. “The Importance of Horatio.” Luminarium. 1994. 29 April 2007