Ghosts of the Elizabethan Era
List four facts about ghosts from the Elizabethan Era found in the first three paragraphs of the article.
generally represented those who had died violent deaths.
Ghosts were only visible to certain people and could vanish and appear at will.
it was commonly accepted that ghosts existed and the person who scoffed at them was considered foolish, or even likely cursed.
Ghosts were said to emit strange noises and sometimes appeared in a present life to convey a message or finish tasks left over from their lifetime.
Did Elizabethans believe in ghosts? What was the difference in Catholic and Protestant thoughts about ghosts?
To some extent
Not every Elizabethan believed in ghosts however the belief was upheld by society and religious doctrine.
Catholics believed that after death, souls were sent to Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. If sent to Purgatory, they would work off their sins until they were allowed into Heaven.
To Catholics ghostly apparitions would be the souls of the dead now wandering earth until they had access to Heaven
Protestants did not believe in the existence of Purgatory, but they did concede that ghosts existed. However, they believed that these ghostly apparitions were demons, sent from Hell to seduce people into performing crimes or unholy acts.
What other functions did ghosts serve during that time period?
The enforcement of prevalent social norms. Ghosts could haunt sinners and threaten retribution. Their existence encouraged good behavior, charity, and church attendance. They also served to uphold a conservative society’s belief that the wishes of ancestors should be honored.
Revisit Act 1, scene 1 – write down five things that are said/thought about the ghost by Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo. What inferences can we make about the ghost based on what you learned from this article
found the ghost terrifying
describe it as a warlike figuring that has come to usurp during the night
It does not listen or respect people
believe it is dangerous
believe it has come with a specific
We can infer that the ghost has come to seek revenge for it’s death or warn a character of the downfall of Denmark.