His Doublet All Unbraced

     The first action of Hamlet's upon hearing of his uncle's betrayal is conveyed to us through Ophelia's recounting of the incident to Polonius.  The purpose of the scene within the play is to set into motion Polonius' attempts to show that Hamlet's madness springs from his love of Ophelia, but the incident itself appears odd.  What cause is there for Hamlet to act like this?  Is this just a generic part of his antic disposition?  Or are these the actions of a genuine madman?

     Hamlet's actions in this scene, recounted as they are by Ophelia, are a step removed from their original motivations.  We do not get a chance to see them through the actions of the actor playing them, only through Ophelia's reconstruction after the fact.  Seen through this lens they therefore appear to be devoid of sense and meaning.  But here is a possible explanation for them.

     Hamlet, having just learned of his father's murder by his uncle, leaves his friends and goes to Ophelia.  Having entered her room in his state of disarray he goes to tell her of what has just happened to him but at the last moment rethinks his decision.  Suspicion enters into his mind and he is unsure of whether or not he can trust her to keep his secret from her father.  Thus he enters into "such perusal of my face as 'a would draw it".  After debating for a time, Hamlet decides he cannot trust her and, saddened by that decision, he leaves without explanation, causing Ophelia the distress that she then, fulfilling Hamlet's fear because of Hamlet's fear, reports to her father.  The scene (with this interpretation) is the arc of Hamlet and Ophelia's relationship in miniature.  It foreshadows the fact that Hamlet's doubt, paranoia, and suspicions will ultimately drive Ophelia away from him and into madness.

Horatio and the Queen

    There is an unfortunate double casting that many productions of Hamlet indulge in that robs the play of an interesting character insight for both Gertrude and Horatio.  In act 4 scene 5 a "Gentleman" appears to tell the Queen of Ophelia's desire to speak with her, setting up the scene in which Ophelia is revealed to the audience to have been driven mad by Hamlet's slaying of her father.  In most productions this news is delivered to the Queen through Hamlet's friend Horatio, left behind when Hamlet was exiled to England.  This all makes sense; Horatio makes himself useful and enters the Queen's presence with a suit, and we think no more of it.  Give the lines to the Gentleman however, and the scene changes.  Now we have the Queen and Horatio together being approached by a third party.  Why are these two together?  Horatio has but one more line in this scene and is sent by the King to follow Ophelia at its end, so what purpose is there to show us that Horatio is with the Queen?

     The answer most productions give, either from expedience or necessity, is none.  Horatio is given the messenger's purpose and robbed of his own.  But there is another possible answer.  If we look at this scene in its place in the Queen's character arc it appears to point to her conversion to Hamlet's camp.  When we last saw Gertrude Hamlet was attempting to convince her of the error of her ways, with varying levels of success.  The text is ambiguous at best and leaves much up to the actors as to whether or not she is convinced.  The next time we see her is in the final scene of the play where she drinks the poison meant for Hamlet.  Again, the actor has freedom of choice as to whether or not Gertrude is aware of what she is doing.  Both scenes allow great flexibility for her character arc.  In the middle we have this scene, where for some reason or other Gertrude is shown with the only other person that we know to be squarely in Hamlet's camp.  Time has passed, Hamlet has been exiled, and this scene begins  with Hamlet's one true friend and his mother who at this point in the play may have come over to her son's side in the great struggle of the play.  This pairing lends strength to the suggestion that she has been converted, that in the time since Hamlet's exile a small camp of supporters has arisen.  Where once  there was one, now there are two.

'Faith, Her Privates We

     Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are often portrayed as an idiotic duo.  Hamlet runs circles around them with his wit, immediately divines their intentions, and unceremoniously brushes them aside.
But why?  What purpose is there in showing Hamlet meet and immediately dispense with these two spies?  Certainly not entertainment.  The audience sees two incompetent spies and largely ignores them for the duration of the play.  There is no tension there, no conflict.

     Much more interesting then is to play up their friendship.  They too banter in their scene with Hamlet, though they are at much of a disadvantage.  They were sent for, but that in itself is not an admission of guilt.  The scene should end unsure, with an uneasiness between the trio as of a friendship slowly dissolving.  This gives their ultimate betrayal much more force, and highlights the disintegration of Hamlet's relationships as he drives everyone from him (with the exception of Horatio, the only one allowed a peak into his inner mind).  Ros and Guil are also given much more room to grow, caught as they are between a real concern for their childhood friend (who pushes them away with his madness) and loyalty to the crown (who promises reward for patriotic duty).