Question

v. english 12 sem a - a
, part 5: characteristics of elizabethan drama
the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark
act iii, scene ii.
a hall in the castle.
enter hamlet and certain players.
hamlet: speak the speech, i pray you, as i pronounced it to you, trippingly
on the tongue; but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, i had as
lief the town-crier spoke my lines. nor do not saw the air too much with
your hand, thus, but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and—
as i may say—whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a
temperance, that may give it smoothness. o! it offends me to the soul to
hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very
rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are
capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise: i would have
such a fellow whipped for o’er-doing termagant; it out-herods herod:
pray you, avoid it.
first player: i warrant your honour.
hamlet: be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor:
suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special
observance, that you o’erstep not the modesty of nature; for anything so
overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and
now, was and is, to hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature; to show
virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body
of the time his form and pressure. now, this overdone, or come tardy off,
ophelia: will he tell us what this show meant?
hamlet: ay, or any show that you’ll show him; be not you ashamed to
show, he’ll not shame to tell you what it means.
ophelia: you are naught, you are naught. i’ll mark the play
what word from the excerpt suggests that hamlet has hidden motives in
showing the play?
mischief
argument
counsel
naught

Explanation:

To determine the word suggesting Hamlet has hidden motives in showing the play, we analyze each option:

• "argument" refers to a reason or dispute, not hidden motives.
• "counsel" means advice, not related to hidden intentions.
• "naught" means nothing or wicked, but doesn't imply hidden motives.
• "mischief" implies playful or secretive misbehavior/intentions, fitting the idea of hidden motives in Hamlet's plan with the play (to catch Claudius's guilt).

Answer:

mischief