Question

In the most high and palmy state of Rome, a little ere the mightiest Julius fell,... The appearance of a ghost reminds Horatio of another event from history. What does he think of and what is this literary reference called?

a) Caesar's assassination
b) The fall of the Roman Empire
c) A famous battle
d) A tragic play

Answer 1

The literary reference Horatio thinks of when he sees the ghost in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' is Caesar's assassination, and this reference is known as an allusion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The literary reference that Horatio thinks of when he sees the ghost in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet is a) Caesar's assassination.

This event from Roman history is mentioned as a parallel to the appearance of King Hamlet's ghost, suggesting an omen of bad fortune or a significant change in the state of Denmark, similar to the supernatural occurrences leading up to Julius Caesar's assassination.

This type of reference is called an allusion, which is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.