The purpose of this research is to explore the development of the spectral tradition in the construction of the ghost as a character in the narrative and to specify which elements of this theme constitute a framework that enables the understanding of this phenomenon in the light of folklore. In this sense, the spectrum has come a long way to this day, since folklore and literature have addressed the theme of the ghost for a long time ago. Through the different cultures, a permanent dialogue with the spectral dimension has been established; each author has worked the functionality of the ghost in the story and has reconstructed it according to the mentality of his time. So, the methodology applied to this work consists of making a brief overview of the ghost as a character in universal literature until reaching the 20th century, using a conceptual approach that allows us to point out common features in its construction.