In a well-known adaptation of Hamlet, one actor plays both Hamlet and the ghost. What is the effect of this adaptation?

A. It establishes Hamlet's madness and that the ghost is not a figment of his imagination.

B. It emphasizes the idea that the ghost is not real, but rather imagined by Hamlet.

C. It complicates the plot and makes it more difficult for a modern audience to understand it.

D. It simplifies the plot of the play and makes it easier for a modern audience to understand it.

The correct answer is B. It emphasizes the idea that the ghost is not real, but rather imagined by Hamlet.

In the original play, the ghost is apparently real because some people (other than Hamlet) also saw it. However, not all of them, which is why Hamlet's sanity is often questioned. In this adaptation, however, where both Hamlet and the ghost are played by the same character, we get the idea that the ghost doesn't actually exist - but rather that Hamlet is actually crazy and imagining things due to his pain of losing his father.

I'd say the correct answer is A. Although Hamlet does "imagine" the ghost, for him it is not merely a figment of his imagination, he considers it to be very much real and present. And thus is the actor plays both roles, his madness is obvious and is depicted more accurately.