Act II: Scene 2
1. Who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Why have they been
summoned to Claudius and Gertrude?
2. What does Queen Gertrude attribute Hamlet’s mental illness
to?
3. What news does Voltemand return with?
4. What does Polonius tell the King and Queen is the source of
Hamlet’s madness? What was in Hamlet’s letter to Ophelia?
5. According to Polonius in lines 151-152, what did he say to his
daughter about Hamlet’s love? How is this different from
what he said in Act I: Scene 3, lines 122-142?
6. What plan does Polonius concoct to observe Hamlet?
7. Why do the King and Queen leave?
8. Why does Hamlet call Polonius a fishmonger?
9. What warning does Hamlet give Polonius about his daughter?
10. What information does Polonius give in his asides?
11. What sarcastic remark does Hamlet make about Polonius
leaving?
12. What sexual innuendo do Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and
Guildenstern join in on about Fortune?
13. Why does Hamlet compare Denmark to a prison? Why do
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern disagree?
14. What does Hamlet mean when he says, “For there is nothing
either good or bad but thinking makes it so?”
15. What metaphor does Hamlet make about dreams in line 256?
16. To what absurd conclusion does Hamlet push the reasoning
of Rosencrantz and Guildernstern about ambition? Why does he
do this?
17. What does Hamlet say that indicates tha he is suspicious of
Rosencrantz and Guildernstern? Who finally admits the truth?
18. What does Hamlet mean when he says, “What a piece of
work is man!”
19. Who informs Hamlet about the players?
20. What sarcastic comment does Hamlet make about his parents
in lines 385-386?
21. Why does Hamlet keep making comments to Polonius about
his daughter?
22. Why does Hamlet recite the passage about Pyrrhus?
23. Who continues the performance?
24. What is the story of Pyrrhus about? How is Hamlet like
Pyrrhus?
25. What plays does Hamlet ask the players to perform next?
What would he like to add to it?
26. Where does Hamlet’s second soliloquy begin?
27. In the second soliloquy with whom does Hamlet compare
himself?
28. What does Hamlet criticize himself about? Is he being too
hard on himself when he asks, “Am I a coward?”
29. Hamlet suspects that the ghost might have been a devil.
What plan does he concoct to prove that the ghost has spoken
truly? What does he hope Claudius will do?
30. Do you sympathize with Hamlet’s doubts and delays at this
point in the play?