Nativity play
The story makes multiple references to William Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"; According to Scott-Douglas, Alexander observes Oscar playing "Hamlet"'s Ghost before he dies, and afterwards appears as a ghost, while Alexander acquires a new abusive stepfather. This made "theatre and reality seem indistinguishable". Cohen-Shalev argued Oscar being reduced to a ghost is his punishment for never truly living, and losing his life. Törnqvist wrote the "triangle" of Alexander, Emelie and Edvard is explicitly explained with Emelie's reference to "Hamlet", and the characters Hamlet, Queen Gertrude and King Claudius: "Don't act Hamlet, my son. I'm not Queen Gertrude, your kind stepfather is no king of Denmark, and this is not Elsinore Castle, even if it does look gloomy". Emilie, like Gertrude, is also portrayed as unfaithful, with Bergman's screenplay suggesting Oscar is not Alexander's biological father: in the Nativity play, Oscar plays Joseph. According to Helena, Oscar fell impotent after Fanny's birth, and Emilie afterwards conducted circumspect affairs.