Hamlet

Hamlet act 3

1. Sc. 2, Lines 1–25: Explain why Hamlet objects to overacting? Why is it fitting that Hamlet gives the actors advice about how to act? What does Hamlet mean by “the purpose of playing, / whose end, both at the first and now, was and / is to hold, as ‘twere, the mirror up to nature”? Why does he want to emphasize that for this play?

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Last updated by Aslan
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This is probably a reaction of Shakespeare’s feelings that modern players overact with bombastic speech. Hamlet thinks it takes away from the subtleties of the play.

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