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What happens in the opening scene of Hamlet? What methods does Shakespeare use to capture audience interest at the beginning of the play?

Elizabethan theaters had a reputation for being noisy and unruly. Shakespeare was not only a writer but an experienced showman. He frequently opens his plays with scenes that will capture the interest of his audience and get people to quiet down, especially those standing in the pit. A good example is the extremely short opening of Macbeth in which the Three Witches, who all have beards and appear to be half-crazy, talk a lot of gibberish and agree to meet again. They are also frequently called the weird sisters throughout the play, and "weird" is certainly a good word to describe them. They conclude by all reciting simultaneously:



Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
Hover through the fog and filthy air.



People today are still guessing what is meant by "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," but when Macbeth appears in Act 1, Scene 3, his first words are 



So foul and fair a day I have not seen.



This cues the audience at the performance of Macbeth to expect some answers to the questions the weird sisters raised in Act 1, Scene 1. Shakespeare has held his audience's attention through Act 1, Scene 2 while he presents a large amount of exposition via dialogue featuring King Duncan and a bloody officer who can tell the King all about the battle that just ended in victory.


In Hamlet, Shakespeare grabs audience attention by creating the strong impression that there is imminent danger of an invasion. He can do this by using only two characters, Francisco and Bernardo. The first words spoken show that both these men are suspicious and frightened.



BERNARDO
Who's there?


FRANCISCO
Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.



Francisco quickly leaves. He is glad to get away. But Bernardo shows he feels very uncomfortable being left alone on the castle-wall. He calls after him:



If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,
The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.



Why is he so frightened? The audience doesn't know what to expect, but it seems that something very bad could happen at any moment. The guards may be on watch for an enemy army, but there must be something more to fear than that--perhaps something even worse. Shakespeare's audience members are silenced by their curiosity and also by the apprehension which has been communicated to them by Francisco and Bernardo. They will remain silent when Horatio and Marcellus arrive, because they expect to learn what is going on.


It turns out that Marcellus and Bernardo have seen a ghost. They have told Horatio about it, and he has come to watch with them tonight, although he doesn't believe their story. The information that a ghost may appear tonight only adds to the fear, wonder, and curiosity of the audience, thereby ensuring that they will remain quiet.


Then the Ghost actually does appear. All three men are frightened now, and the audience is frightened along with them. Shakespeare has his audience in the palm of his hand. He no longer has to worry about keeping them quiet. And he has introduced so many questions that they will continue to pay close attention for the rest of the play. Will there be a war? Is this really a ghost? Is it the ghost of the dead King Hamlet? What does he want? Why is he wearing body armor and a helmet? Since the Ghost won't talk to the three men, they decide to tell Prince Hamlet about this uncanny event. Horatio suggests it:



Let us impart what we have seen to-night
Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,
This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. 



The Ghost will certainly speak to young Hamlet. That is why he has come to Elsinore. But since Shakespeare now feels sure he has the full attention of his audience, he introduces all the other important characters in the play before the fateful meeting between Hamlet and his dead father in Act 1, Scene 5.

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