I remember repeating the paragraph at the beginning of Act III Scene II almost everyday. I was enrolled in Scene Study and my teacher Mr. Burns used this particular speech as warm up for the entire class (which consisted of just four students). It is not something that easily rolls off the tongue but I am sure that was one of his reasons for choosing it as a daily vocal exercise. The next reason would be its clear direction for “good” Elizabethan acting, according to Shakespeare of course. In the first paragraph (in much more flowery and description language) Hamlet tells his actors to:
1. Pronounce the speech and to emphasize each letter and secondly to make sure the audience can hear you.
2. Do not over-emphasize your actions but make them natural.
3. Do not over-emphasize a speech but also make it believable.
In Shakespeare’s opinion there is nothing worse than over-played theater. “It out-Herods Herod.” Hamlet goes on to say, “Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion by your tutor.” In opposition to the previous paragraph, this speech is softer. It delights in the beauty of theater. Hamlet relays this message with such passion that leaves an impression on the audience. Clearly, Shakespeare thought Elizabethan theater needed some improvement and Hamlet was the perfect character to express that. Hamlet is dependent on the players’ performances in order to observe his step-father’s true guilt. It is of the up-most importance that the players do not make this play a “mockery” but truly convince Claudius of his wrong-doings (if any were committed). This scene helps to advance the play because we see how central this “play-within-a-play” is to the main plot line. The king’s reactions will either prompt Hamlet to take his revenge or prompt Hamlet to let go of his father’s death. The play is the catalyst of Hamlet's plan.
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