# Marcellus — Hamlet character guide

> Marcellus in Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Marcellus It, Marcellus Bernardo, Marcellus Good, Marcellus Horatio

**First appearance:** 0002-act-i-scene-i

## Who they are

Officer on guard who first sees the ghost.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i)

A guard who has seen the ghost twice before and urges Horatio to witness it.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-i-scene-ii)

Accompanies Horatio and Bernardo to inform Hamlet of the ghost.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-i-scene-iv)

Urges caution and follows Hamlet, remarking that 'something is rotten in the state of Denmark.'

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/chapters/act-i-scene-v)

Accompanies Horatio, swears not to reveal what he has seen.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/characters/marcellus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/hamlet_se/characters