Hamlet: "Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounce 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 your passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. Oh, 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'erdoing Termagant. It out-herods Herod. Pray you, avoid it."
In these lines, Hamlet is giving instructions to the actors who will perform a play within the play. He is urging them to speak their lines naturally, without exaggerated gestures or overacting. He wants them to avoid the common tendency to shout or rant during passionate speeches, and instead maintain a sense of control and moderation.
Hamlet uses several metaphors to convey his meaning. He compares the actor's performance to a "whirlwind" or "torrent," but he emphasizes the need for "temperance" and "smoothness" to avoid going overboard. He also mentions "the groundlings," who are the common people who sit in the cheapest seats in the theater. Hamlet suggests that these spectators are not interested in subtle acting or sophisticated language but are only capable of appreciating exaggerated gestures and loud noises.
By offering this advice, Hamlet reveals his own aesthetic preferences and his understanding of the actor's craft. He values naturalism, restraint, and a balance between passion and control in theatrical performances.