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All Site ContentHamletAct 1Scene 1
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Cultural Allusion
Cultural Allusion
Act 1,
Scene 1
Lines 36-38

An explanation of how the ghost is appearing at the same time of night as previously observed in Act 1, Scene 1 of myshakespeare's Hamlet.

Bernardo

When yond same star that's westward from the pole
Had made his course to illume that part of heaven
Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself —

As the earth turns, the stars appear to circle around the North Star and can be used to tell the time at night.  Bernardo is saying that it must be the same time now as when they last saw the ghost since the bright star he's indicating is in the same position as it was when the ghost last appeared.