What To Say and How To Act It

Reading through Hamlet I found a short speech my Hamlet that caught my eye. Usually we are told that one of Shakespeare’s most important attributes is the liberty he gives the actor. On any other play, this would be true since there are no specific instructions of how a play must be. He only gives general outlines of what characters must be and how they must act through the lines. These are usually open to a wide range of interpretations. Then comes the speech:

“Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand thus, but use all gently, for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may say) whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. Oh, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termagant. It out-Herods Herod. Pray you, avoid it.” (3.2.1-15)

It seems to contradict that idea since it is giving a very strong point of view won what appropriate acting is. Also, it is clear that these lines carried a meaning beyond what Hamlet wished to say, conveying an idea that came from Shakespeare himself. For this, it is essential to understand the difference between a moment when the author writes what one of his characters thinks or believes in and when he conveys his own thoughts through the character. This short speech is meant to show the excitement has about this play. He wishes to make everything go perfectly in order to ensure the full execution of his plan. Still, there are an infinite amount of way in which Shakespeare could have achieved this same purpose (like yet another soliloquy). The fact he deliberately makes it a speech about appropriate acting reveals his intentions.

Now, in terms of content it is meant as a rough guideline on what a Shakespearean actor must be like in order to fulfill the role intended. It must be performed using the exact words on the play, never showing excessive emotions and always in an appropriate volume and tone. At least, this play is meant not for the “groundlings” but for a more refined class that can understand a more refined level of the art. In general, these instructions intend to make the play more realistic. As Hamlet said: “For anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is to hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature…” (3.2.20-25) In other words, theater is a representation of reality and thus it must be as accurate as possible. This is meant to help Hamlet in his plans because the play must be realistic in order to have an effect on the guilty king. But also, it serves to the purpose of presenting Hamlet appropriately. Such an unlikely sequence of events as the ones that occurred to Hamlet are a very unlikely and therefore a great of effort is required from the actors in order to make it believable.