Several aspects of Mark Calaway’s “Undertaker” character make it memorable, from his haunting promos to his extravagant WrestleMania entrances, and one thing that’s always been a part of his gimmick was the iconic pose he’d make after major victories and towards the urn that Paul Bearer would carry to the ring. In an episode of his “Six Feet Under” podcast, Calaway explained why he started doing the pose and how it connected him with his fans.
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“It’s what was then referred to as ‘Shakespeare,’ that’s what that’s called, that’s what everybody refers to it,” the veteran revealed, finally giving a name to the pose. Calaway recalled how he initially started doing “The Shakespeare” after hitting his signature Flying Clothesline and having Paul Bearer lift the urn up to him. “And then because I didn’t pander to the audience (…) that kinda became my signature bow, really, without actually pandering to the audience.”
Calaway then tried to recall when he started using the pose after finishing matches once he and Bearer parted ways but admitted that he can’t remember and claims he feels like he just always did it. However, he noted that Bearer would often use the urn to “restrict” the Undertaker, which was when he originally did the pose. “After Paul was gone, I was on my own, it kinda became part of my repertoire,” he explained. Either way, like the way he rolled his eyes and his catchphrase, ‘rest in peace,’ the Undertaker character ultimately became iconic.
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If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “Six Feet Under” podcast, and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
