1. Summary
i. - Polonius gives Reynaldo strict instructions to go spy on Laertes in France
- Ophelia enters the scene to explain to her father that Hamlet entered her room, grabbed her by the waist and looked into her eyes, and was acting odd.
-Polonius feels that it is necessary to tell the king immediately that Hamlet has gone mad as a result of Ophelia denying his love
ii. -The King and Queen talk to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and ask them to spy on Hamlet in order to figure out the cause of his mood shift
-Polonius tells the King and Queen he has news to explain Hamlet's behavior
-Voltimand delivers the news that Norway no longer seeks to attack Denmark for Fortinbra realized it was only with the dead King Hamlet that he had a vendetta
- Polonius reads to the King and Queen a letter Hamlet wrote Ophilia, and convinces them that Ophelia denying his love is what is causing him to go mad
- The three devise a plan to release Ophelia to Hamlet when he is on a walk and observe his reaction to her
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern admit to Hamlet the that King and Queen ordered them to watch over Hamlet
- Hamlet tells them that his loss of delight is what causes his mood
- Rosencrantz tells Hamlet about actors that are coming through Denmark—Hamlet decides to make a play about his father’s death and show it to his uncle and observe his reaction
2. Interpretive and Evaluative Questions
1) Interpretative: According to the letter, is Hamlet truly in love with Ophelia?
2) Interpretative: Did Hamlet really write the letter or was it a staged prose?
3) Evaluative: Is Hamlet actually distraught when he went to see Ophelia, or was that part of his act?
4) Evaluative: What Shakespeare’s purpose in making Polonius a funny likeable character?
5) Evaluative: What dynamics of the play would change if Polonius was not a likeable character?
3) Act II, Scene 2, lines 96-99 (Polonius)
“Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, ‘tis true; ‘tis true ‘tis pty
And pity ‘tis ‘its true; a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will use no art.”
4. A large dynamic for readers within Act II is to decipher whether or not Hamlet is going mad or if his manner is all as an act. I believe that Hamlet is acting up that idea that he is mad in order to conceal his motive to kill the king, however, I believe that there is another part of him that is actually going mad. In Ophelia’s room, I believe that he was driven there out of desire to fulfill his performance of craziness, but partially was going there because he wanted to be consoled. It is obvious from the start of the play that Hamlet is taking the death of his father hard; thus, it is no surprise that he would desire to be comforted. However, I believe Hamlet is going over the top with his desire to be soothed in order to start the rumors of his going mad.
5. - I am curious as to how Hamlet even could consider Rosencrantz and Guildenstern his friends when they betray him so bitterly
1. Summary
i. - Polonius gives Reynaldo strict instructions to go spy on Laertes in France
- Ophelia enters the scene to explain to her father that Hamlet entered her room, grabbed her by the waist and looked into her eyes, and was acting odd.
-Polonius feels that it is necessary to tell the king immediately that Hamlet has gone mad as a result of Ophelia denying his love
ii. -The King and Queen talk to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and ask them to spy on Hamlet in order to figure out the cause of his mood shift
-Polonius tells the King and Queen he has news to explain Hamlet's behavior
-Voltimand delivers the news that Norway no longer seeks to attack Denmark for Fortinbra realized it was only with the dead King Hamlet that he had a vendetta
- Polonius reads to the King and Queen a letter Hamlet wrote Ophilia, and convinces them that Ophelia denying his love is what is causing him to go mad
- The three devise a plan to release Ophelia to Hamlet when he is on a walk and observe his reaction to her
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern admit to Hamlet the that King and Queen ordered them to watch over Hamlet
- Hamlet tells them that his loss of delight is what causes his mood
- Rosencrantz tells Hamlet about actors that are coming through Denmark—Hamlet decides to make a play about his father’s death and show it to his uncle and observe his reaction
2. Interpretive and Evaluative Questions
1) Interpretative: According to the letter, is Hamlet truly in love with Ophelia?
2) Interpretative: Did Hamlet really write the letter or was it a staged prose?
3) Evaluative: Is Hamlet actually distraught when he went to see Ophelia, or was that part of his act?
4) Evaluative: What Shakespeare’s purpose in making Polonius a funny likeable character?
5) Evaluative: What dynamics of the play would change if Polonius was not a likeable character?
3) Act II, Scene 2, lines 96-99 (Polonius)
“Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, ‘tis true; ‘tis true ‘tis pty
And pity ‘tis ‘its true; a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will use no art.”
4. A large dynamic for readers within Act II is to decipher whether or not Hamlet is going mad or if his manner is all as an act. I believe that Hamlet is acting up that idea that he is mad in order to conceal his motive to kill the king, however, I believe that there is another part of him that is actually going mad. In Ophelia’s room, I believe that he was driven there out of desire to fulfill his performance of craziness, but partially was going there because he wanted to be consoled. It is obvious from the start of the play that Hamlet is taking the death of his father hard; thus, it is no surprise that he would desire to be comforted. However, I believe Hamlet is going over the top with his desire to be soothed in order to start the rumors of his going mad.
5. - I am curious as to how Hamlet even could consider Rosencrantz and Guildenstern his friends when they betray him so bitterly