Act II Questions
1. Where does Polonius send Reynaldo? Why?
2. Why does Polonius think Hamlet is "mad"?
3. Why have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to the castle?
4. What is Polonius' plan for testing his theory that Hamlet is love-crazy?
5. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern finally meet with Hamlet, and Hamlet discovers they
were sent for by the King. How does Hamlet describe his personal problems to them?
What does he tell them?
6. What arrangement does Hamlet make with Player 1?
7. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leave Hamlet, what does he basically say in his
soliloquy?
Enrichment
1. In 2.1. Ophelia is greatly concerned over Hamlet's behavior. What evidence does he
give that something is wrong?
2. What are the possible explanations given by Polonius in 2.1 and 2.2? Do you agree
with his reasoning?
3. Who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and what are they doing at court? How are we
supposed to feel about them?
4. One of the play's major themes, illusion versus reality, begins to take center stage in
Act 2. Where do you find evidence of this theme being explored? What possible
messeges could Shakespeare be trying to convey?
5. Take another look at Polonius. Is he the same man you thought initially? What
evidence is there that he's not the man we were led to believe in Act 1.
6. When the players arrive, at Hamlet's request they reinact a selection from Aeneas and
Dido. Why this play? How does it echo Hamlet's main storyline.