The purpose of the long swearing ritual in Hamlet
The reason for the long swearing ritual in Hamlet, occurring after the ghost had already given an adequate account of his murder, has previously puzzled critics. It is certainly not needed to move forward the play’s action. However, if we understand the effect of the ghost’s injunction on Hamlet, the reason for this scene is evident.
It is a focused allegorical scene deliberately crafted by Shakespeare to make clear the nature of what transpired by providing us with a dramatic image of evil at work. The voice of the ghost echoes from below, the traditional location of hell, and the way Hamlet addresses the ghost strongly hints at the devil. While the ghost may not be the devil himself, the effect he has on Hamlet is surely worthy of the devil.
This eerie scene, with Hamlet’s mischievous jesting remarks coupled with the sinister call of the ghost from below to swear, has an unmistakably diabolical aura. The swearing ritual here is linked to the earlier oath of Hamlet to transform himself into an instrument of his father’s revenge. The oaths are all to aid Hamlet on the path of vengeance.
Note that the ghost’s voice comes eerily from below.
Ghost: [beneath] Swear.
Hamlet: Ah ha, boy, say’st thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?
Come on, you hear this fellow in the cellarage.
Consent to swear.
Hamlet’s wild jesting adds a touch of the burlesque to the scene, suggesting mischief. Also, the strange familiarity in the way he refers to the ghost is reminiscent of how the traditional stage Vice used to address the devil. The sinister term “fellow in the cellarage” again hints at the devil.
Later, the ghost again urges them, from below, to swear.
Ghost: Swear. [they swear]
Hamlet: Hic et ubique? Then we’ll shift our ground.
Come hither, gentlemen,
And lay your hands again upon my sword.
Swear by my sword
Never to speak of this that you have heard.
Ghost: Swear by his sword. [they swear]
Hamlet: Well said, old mole. Canst work i’th’earth so fast?
A worthy pioneer! Once more remove, good friends.
Hic et ubique is Latin for “here and everywhere.” Traditionally, only God and the devil can be “here and everywhere” all at once. That the entity down below has this ability is also suggested by Hamlet’s rhetorical question: “Canst work i’th’earth so fast?”
Finally, after the ghost again prompts them to swear for a third time, the long swearing ritual comes to an end. The reason for its prolonged length should now be evident. All the elements of the ritual are suggestively diabolical. The proceedings are conducted in the dark through the use of almost derisive remarks, while being urged on by the sinister cries of a ghost from below. And all the oaths are taken to aid a path of revenge. The whole ritual thus leaves us with an emotional impression that what transpires—the injunction to vengeance—is actually evil in nature.
The long swearing ritual is thus part of the central theme in the play. It reinforces the reason why Hamlet delays his revenge, which is that, subconsciously, his inner conscience is telling him that there is a question of immorality in seeking vengeance.
Shakespeare’s intended purpose in the play is to demonstrate to us, through our emotional involvement in the drama, that seeking revenge is wrong and why it is wrong. We see, in the play, how this terrible mandate of vengeance transforms Hamlet into a callous and brutal person. That is the real tragedy of Hamlet.
The long swearing ritual is an integral part of the cohesive unity of the entire play. Shakespeare meticulously crafts his plays so that every part of each play, with no exception, contributes to the central meaning of that play. We must heed this quality of Shakespeare’s plays to appreciate his intended meaning. This is how Shakespeare ensures that his sage message in each play is understood correctly.