Editor's Choice
What attitudes towards drama do various characters in Hamlet display?
Quick answer:
In Hamlet, characters display diverse attitudes towards drama. Hamlet values theater for its ability to reveal truths, using it to expose King Claudius's guilt. He appreciates realistic acting and the emotional power of performance. The Player King exemplifies this by emotionally engaging with his role. In contrast, Polonius shows little appreciation for drama's depth, focusing on entertainment and plot rather than meaning, satirizing a simplistic view of theater.
In the middle of the play, Hamlet uses the traveling acting company to stage a play that will supposedly "catch the conscience of the king." This attempt suggests that theater can be used to reveal hidden qualities, such as the guilty thoughts one would otherwise be able to hide. Certainly, Gertrude's "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" remark indicates the power of a play to do so.
Hamlet has other thoughts on theater, of course. He seems to have been an avid fan of theater: he knows the company of actors and respects their work, cringing at the use of boy actors instead of these professionals, faulting actors who would go "off script" in order to get a personal laugh, and even developing his own theory of realistic acting technique ("hold the mirror up to nature").
As the Player King performs the monologue that Hamlet requests (regarding Hecuba...
Unlock
This Answer NowStart your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
and the murder of Priam), we see that theater can be used to conjure up emotions and make one experience a heightened sense of humanity, especially human suffering. The Player King can bring himself to tears simply by recalling the story of the fall of Troy:
What’s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba
That he should weep for her?