The prose of Act 1, Scene 1 of Hamlet by William Shakespeare creates a mood that intrigues the audience. The passage simply illustrates the changing of guards on a particular night. However, the diction and mood exhibited by the characters illustrates tension, building action and hesitation.
The description of the time as midnight raises the association with mystery and darkness that is essential to the passage. As Francisco mentions the hour and the foreboding silence in the sense that “not a mouse is stirring.” the imagery of uneasiness is automatically evoked. The audience is unaware of what will occur but is sure that whatever does happen will be eerie. The repetition of “Who’s there?” adds to the building tension and pulls the audience in, revealing nothing. The second “Who is there?” keeps the audience intrigued, still maintaining that the audience is not informed of what is going on, or what is making the characters remain on edge. “…Bid them make haste.” Simply adds to the element of the unknown and intensifies it. The audience now speculates why Bernardo is in such a rush to leave. The short sentence structure increases the tension of the scene and exaggerates the apprehension felt by the characters.
