Sir King Castro

Regina Buccola

Shakespeare in Context

14 April 2020

The Interpretation of Hamlet’s ‘Antic Disposition’

In what may be William Shakespeare’s most popular and acclaimed play, ​Hamlet,

the title character and protagonist of the story, Hamlet, makes a statement after seeing and

speaking to his father’s ghost which, depending on how it is interpreted by the actor and director

of the production, can produce two different paths for Hamlet to take in the story. In Act 1 scene

5 of the play, (Shakespeare 1.5.173-174) Hamlet says in a aside to the audience while speaking

to Horatio and Marcellus,

“As I perchance hereafter shall think meet

To put an antic disposition on”.

In this statement, Hamlet is declaring an intent to put on an antic, or bizarre attitude. Why

does the title character say this in the middle of his monologue? This is the question, which when

answered by a director or actor, can result in drastically different performances. One

interpretation of the text suggests that for the rest of the play, as Hamlet seems to become more

and more deranged, it is part of his plan to put an antic disposition on. The other suggests that

Hamlet may have intended to act bizarrely at first, but is soon genuinely driven to madness.

There is support for both of these arguments, however in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s
production of ​Hamlet​, the performance given by actor Paapa Essiedu strongly suggests that

Hamlet’s outrageous demeanor is all part of a purposeful act (Lough). Hamlet puts on a huge

spectacle, wearing a painted all over suit, and seeming to not bathe. He paints in many scenes,

and generally acts erratically. This can be seen especially well in the interaction between Hamlet

and Polonius in Act 2 Scene 2 (Shakespeare 2.2.164-194). In this production, Polonius speaks

with Claudius and Gertrude about Hamlet’s erratic behavior, then remarks, “But, look, where

sadly the poor wretch comes reading it.” Hamlet enters the stage with a large ladder, putzing

around making music with his mouth and replies, seemingly ignoring Polonius. When Polonius

asks if Hamlet knows him, Hamlet replies, "Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.” The text

proceeds in this way, with Hamlet making seemingly nonsensical statements to Polonius, and

Polonius humorously misinterpreting them to be Hamlet’s maddening love for Ophelia such as in

this excerpt:

HAMLET. For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion… Have you a

daughter?

LORD POLONIUS. I have, My Lord.

HAMLET. Oh! Let her not walk in the sun. Conception is a blessing, but as your daughter may

conceive. Friend, look to it.

LORD POLONIUS. How say you by that? Still harping on my daughter, yet he knew me not at

first. He said I was a fishmonger. He is far gone and truly in my youth I suffered much extremity

for love, very near this. I'll speak to him again. What do you read, My Lord?

This dialogue may sound very nonsensical and strange, but even in the second line of the

preceding passage, Hamlet hints at being intentional, punning on the word conceive. Further

proof of Hamlet’s awareness of his behavior follows, as Polonius inquires what Hamlet is

reading, to which Hamlet replies:

Slanders, sir. For the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray beards, that their

faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum, and that they have

a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams—all which, sir, though I most

powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for

yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward.

Again, the intent can be hidden, but here Hamlet cleverly sandwiches a dig at Polonius

between two phrases that seem nonsensical, but have punning, wordplay, and sharp thinking

involved. Hamlet begins by saying that he is reading slander or lies, and then lays out a series of

insults aimed at Polonius, then states that he believes them. At the surface, this contradiction

could be attributed to Hamlet’s madness, but in this production, Paapa Essiedu points to Polonius

as he says “...old men have gray beards…” and he plays out the reading very intentionally.

Finally, Hamlet ends the mockery by playing on time and Polonius by comparing him to a crab
and pointing out that he can’t move backwards, like a crab and become younger. It’s clear

through the text that Hamlet has a great control over what he is saying, and he knows what he is

saying.

When looking at the context of the scene, we know that for Polonius, most things go over his

head, but he is also a direct link to Claudius and Gertrude, so it would behoove Hamlet to

especially put on an act around Polonius, because he would predictably misinterpret it and

misinform Claudius and Gertrude. The actor playing Hamlet very visibly displays his intention to

manipulate Polonius in this scene.

This scene is only one example of many where Hamlet skillfully uses word play to

manipulate those around him into thinking he is crazed. In some interpretations of the text,

Hamlet is seen as perhaps putting on an antic disposition purposely in the beginning, but then

unwinding into legitimate madness. In this production, the actor followed with the through line

that Hamlet’s antic disposition is a purposeful ruse so that Hamlet can protect himself while

finding out Claudius’ guilt and avenging his father. Both interpretations have credence, with

evidence leaning in both directions, but this production went with an intentional madness, which

also happens to be the choice I like better. The wonderful thing about Shakespeare is that we can

see many, many different interpretations, all unique in their own ways.
 Works Cited

Lough, Robin, director. ​Hamlet​. ​Hamlet​, Royal Shakespeare Company, 2015,

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.ezproxy.roosevelt.edu:8443/view/work/bibliographic_e

ntity|video_work|3884663.

Shakespear, William. “Hamlet.” ​Hamlet​, Folger Shakespeare Library,

www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/html/Ham.html.