How does the mood affect the play Hamlet?

The first scene of the
play begins to establish the mood as one of menace, suspicion, and foreboding. Barnardo, a
palace guard, comes at his appointed hour to relieve Francisco, another guard, who has been on
duty until then. Barnardo should be expecting to see Francisco because he knows he is relieving
someone, and Francisco should be expecting to see Barnardo because he knows that he is going to
be relieved by the next shift. However, Barnardo demands to know who is there, which is
Francisco's job, and then Francisco makes the same demand. They seem frightened and nervous, and
their anxiety begins to poison the play's mood right away. They are right to be afraid because
terrible things have happened and will continue to happen in Denmark.