Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
Act II
Hamlet – Act II

Scene One:
 Polonius
sends a servant to spy on his son.
 Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet is behaving
strangely.
 Polonius
assumes that he is mad because he
cannot have Ophelia.
 Polonius
admits that he misjudged Hamlet’s
intentions.
Hamlet – Act II

Scene two:
 Claudius
and Gertrude have sent Hamlet’s
friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy
on Hamlet.
 Polonius arrives and after conducting some
business, tells Claudius and Gertrude that
Hamlet has gone mad because Polonius
forbade Ophelia to see Hamlet.
 Polonius tells Claudius that they should set
Hamlet up by having Ophelia run into him.
Hamlet – Act II

Scene two continued:
 Once
set up, Hamlet arrives, engrossed in a
book.
 Polonius sends Claudius and Gertrude away,
so that he can speak to Hamlet
 Polonius is convinced, by Hamlet’s encrypted
answers, that Hamlet has gone mad (crazy).
 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear, and
Hamlet quickly ascertains that they are spies
for Claudius.
Hamlet – Act II

Scene two continued:
Hamlet tells them that he is wise to their plan, and
they admit guilt.
 Hamlet tells them how depressed and disappointed
he is.
 A group of actors appear, and Hamlet welcomes
them, telling them about a scene he once saw them
perform.
 He asks the players to perform “The Murder of
Gonzago” (which he renames “The Mousetrap”).

Hamlet – Act II

Scene two continued:
 The
play is scheduled for the following night,
and Hamlet adds that he will write a few lines
to be performed within the play.
 In a soliloquy, Hamlet chides himself for not
avenging his father’s murder more quickly.
 He decides that he will test Claudius’s guilt by
his reaction to the murder scene, and then he
will take action.