William Shakespeare's Hamlet is the story of a man whose faith in mankind has been destroyed. Hamlet has lost his father in a scandalous murder, and consequently his mother in the marriage that came as a result of this murder. As he works to avenge his father, Hamlet turns to his friends for comfort and advice, but out of all of the main characters in the play that Hamlet chooses to confide in, Horatio is the one who will prove to be the most loyal, level-headed, and trustworthy.
             We are introduced to Horatio in the first scene of the play. The events that night at the castle show the reader how respected Horatio is, and how he approaches difficult situations in a cool, intelligent manner. He is asked by the guards to serve as witness to the apparition because his honesty and wit are well esteemed, and the guards believe that if Horatio verifies this unusual event, then it is far more convincing to those who haven't witnessed it themselves. They also feel that he is the best one to speak to the apparition since he is educated and can speak with the intimidation that is required to discover the purpose of the ghost's visit. "If thou art privy to thy country's fate... O, speak! Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life Extorted treasure in the womb of earth... Speak of it, stay and speak!" (I.i.133-9). He is strong and brave as he confronts the ghost.
             Horatio's loyalty is demonstrated when Horatio becomes the one who informs Hamlet about the appearance of his father's ghost. Later, when the ghost appears to Hamlet, Horatio pleads with him not to follow because his genuine love for Hamlet doesn't allow him to see Hamlet enter into any potentially dangerous situations, especially with a ghost even if it is Hamlet's father.
             As the play unfolds, Horatio continues to prove his loyalty to Hamlet. In the second scene of the third act, Hamlet asks Horatio for help as he plans to stage a play for th...