Christian A. Gull G. Adam M. Munul P. Mike S.

The ghost, “gidim”, - created at the time of death Left the body and descended to the netherworld, “Irkalla” The ghost retained the personality of the deceased Believed that life in the underworld could be made more tolerable if the surviving relatives made regular offerings If the relatives failed to make offerings, the ghost could become restless and visit sickness and misfortune on them. Ghosts of people without children to make these offerings would suffer more Diseases were often blamed on ghosts People who died in fire or whose body lies in the desert would have no ghost at all

Believe in the sense of the continued existence of the soul and spirit after death Ghosts were able to cause harm to the living Possibility of second death

Ghosts - beings who while tied to earth, no longer live on the material plane Some Christian denominations teach that ghosts are beings who linger in an interim state before continuing their journey to heaven Jews and Christians are taught that it is sinful to attempt to conjure or control spirits in accordance

Some ghosts are actually said to be demons in disguise Attempts to contact the dead may lead to unwanted contact with a demon or an unclean spirit Appearances of orbs of light - a common paranormal phenomenon attributed to ghosts

Ghosts appeared in Homer's Odyssey and Iliad described as: vanishing a vapor Sometimes would appear as they had been at the time of death, complete with the wounds that killed them Had little interaction with the world of the living. Called upon to provide advice or prophecy Were not feared by humans

Described as: haunting frightening creatures Worked for: Good or Evil Believed to hover near the resting place of the corpse, and cemeteries were places the living avoided. The dead were to be ritually mourned through public ceremony, sacrifice and libations, or they might return to haunt their families.

Ghosts appeared for revenge Scratched curses on pieces of lead or pottery Placed the curse on graves

Plutarch, in the 1st century AD, described the haunting of the baths at Chaeronea by the ghost of a murdered man. The ghost’s loud and frightful groans caused the people of the town to seal up the doors of the building

Described the haunting of a house in Athens by a ghost bound in chains. Hauntings ceased when the ghost's shackled skeleton was unearthed, and given a proper reburial.

Two categories of ghosts: Souls Demons Most ghosts were souls assigned to Purgatory

The English Renaissance first began in the yards of the Inn’s. The ultimate end to the English Renaissance theater was in Due to lack of education in the time period, the Belief in ghosts was pretty common. Ghosts made appearances in several popular plays such as Macbeth, and Hamlet.

In the time of William Shakespeare there was a strong belief in the existence of the supernatural. Thus, the supernatural is a recurring aspect in many of Shakespeare’s plays.

Shakespeare's Macbeth: Floating dagger, witches, and prophetic apparitions. Banquo’s ghost provides insight into Macbeth’s character. Shakespeare’s Hamlet: King Hamlet’s Ghost. The Ghost is the propelling force that moves the story along.

Plot summary Ghost’s First Appearance. Prince Hamlet meets the Ghost.

A Real Ghost or An Evil Spirit ? Ghost’s Appearance. Growth of Hamlet’s character.

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” - Marcellus (Act I.5, Line 90) “I find thee apt, and duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear. ‘Tis given out that, sleeping in my orachard, A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.” - Ghost (Act I.5, Line 32 – 40)

Alchin, Linda. Elizabethan Theatre. 20 March December Ross, David. Elizabethan Theatre. 15 May December KIKUCHI, SHIGEO. "Unveiling the dramatic secret of 'Ghost' in Hamlet." Journal of Literary Semantics 39.2 (2010): Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 Dec Video: Picture: _Hamlet_and_the_Ghost.JPG/260px-Henry_Fuseli_-_Hamlet_and_the_Ghost.JPG Picture: _Hamlet_and_the_Ghost.JPG/260px-Henry_Fuseli_-_Hamlet_and_the_Ghost.JPG