HAMLET
Act Two
ACT TWO SCENE I: KEY POINTS
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This scene establishes that time has gone by. Laertes is already in
Paris so several weeks would have gone by.
Polonius is sending his servant Reynaldo to spy on Laertes while he is
away studying. He asks him to talk to his friends and imply that
Laertes is “wild” in order to gauge their reactions.
Ophelia reveals that, as per her father’s instructions, she has been
refusing to see Hamlet.
She tells Polonius that Hamlet has been behaving very strangely – she
was visited by a deranged Hamlet. Either his behaviour is the result of
his put on “antic disposition” or he is struggling to cope with the
burden the Ghost has laid upon him and is further upset because of
Ophelia’s rejection of him.
Polonius thinks he knows why Hamlet is ‘insane’ – he no longer thinks
Hamlet has only lustful designs on his daughter and is convinced that
Hamlet’s love for Ophelia has driven him mad and he rushes to tell the
king.
Long-winded and
Self-important:
Polonius’ love of his own
voice is again evident in the
long-winded instructions
given to Reynaldo. As earlier,
he is convinced of his own
wisdom, telling Reynaldo to
spy on Laertes and
immediately assuming to
know the cause of Hamlet’s
madness. His self-importance
makes him long to be at the
centre of the court’s affairs
and sends him rushing to the
king with news of Hamlet’s
strange behaviour.
Polonius
A Meddling Schemer:
Polonius has a tendency towards
plotting and scheming. We see
this when he sends Reynaldo to
spy on his son. He is also a
meddler who cannot resist
involving himself in other people’s
business. This is clear when he
rushes off to tell Claudius about
Hamlet’s behaviour. Instead of
focusing on the concerns of his
own daughter he inserts himself
into royal affairs.
Acting Insane?:
Hamlet
Ophelia’s report suggests
that Hamlet is behaving in
an extremely strange
manner. He seems to be
acting on the warning he
gave in Act 1 Scene V
when he said that he
would put on an “antic
disposition”.
Or is it possible that this is
not an act at all?
Ophelia
Innocent and Trusting:
Ophelia comes across as an innocent
and obedient daughter, doing exactly
as her father would wish, coming
straight to him with news of Hamlet’s
strange behaviour. She seems to have
followed her father’s instructions to
distance herself from Hamlet.
ACT TWO SCENE II: KEY POINTS
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Claudius’ flattering manner masks his cunning nature. He flatters
“dear Rosencrantz” and “gentle Guildenstern” and feigns concern
for Hamlet when he really wants them to spy on Hamlet. He also
agrees to Polonius’ plan to eavesdrop on Hamlet and Ophelia’s
conversation.
Polonius continues to be a cynical and unscrupulous character. He is
more than willing to use his daughter as bait in order to discover the
source of Hamlet’s unhappiness.
Hamlet is disillusioned with love and life. He feels weighed down with
the responsibility of restoring order to Denmark.
Yet Hamlet is still a shrewd judge of character. It doesn’t take him
long to discover his old friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have
been summoned to spy on him.
Despite recognising his own inability to act, Hamlet still puts off
action until he has more evidence against Claudius – he plans to use
the visiting players and their play to “catch the conscience of the
King”
Hamlet
Acting Insane?
Ophelia has already described the strange behaviour of Hamlet, now Claudius
tells us he has undergone a “transformation”. He is behaving as if he has lost
his reason. Polonius refers to his “lunacy”.
Hamlet also behaves in a deranged manner during his encounter with
Polonius. He seems to think that Polonius is a “fishmonger”. He asks Polonius
if he has a daughter though he knows Ophelia well. He takes advantage of his
mad behaviour to savagely mock Polonius’ age: “for you yourself, sir, should
be as old as I am, if like a crab you could go backwards”
There is little doubt that Hamlet’s mad behaviour here is largely an act. He
admits to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is “but mad north-northwest” suggesting he is, at most, a little mad. Hamlet appears rational and
perceptive in his conversation with his old friends, quickly guessing that they
have been summoned to spy on him by Claudius.
The prince also comes across very sane in his warm welcome to the players.
Furthermore his soliloquy at the end of the scene also reveals the workings of
a logical and rational mind.
Mental Anguish:
In Act 1 Hamlet expressed suicidal
thoughts. Similar sentiments are
expressed here. He says there is
nothing he would part more readily
with than his life: “You cannot sir,
take from me anything that I will not
more willingly part withal; except
my life”.
He expresses disgust at the world in
which he is forced to live. Hamlet
movingly expresses how futile life
seems to him. Humankind is often
considered the “paragon of
animals”, yet to him it is no more
than a “quintessence of dust”.
Hamlet
Procrastination and SelfAccusation:
In the final soliloquy Hamlet
gives full vent to his feelings of
self-disgust caused by his lack of
action against Claudius. He lists
the very good reasons for taking
Claudius’ life. And yet, the prince
has done nothing. He calls
himself names and is disgusted
by his tendency to analyse, to be
a man of words rather than a man
of action. He wonders why he
must “like a whore unpack my
heart with words”.
However, perhaps he is being
hard on himself here. He has no
definite proof of Claudius’ guilt
and it is possible the Ghost was a
demon.
POLONIUS
 LONG-WINDED: He once again comes across as someone who loves the
sound of their own voice. He tells the royal couple that Ophelia is the cause
of Hamlet’s madness in such an irritatingly long-winded fashion that even
Gertrude gets annoyed and tells him “ More matter, with less art”
 SELF-IMPORTANT: He is convinced of his own wisdom, telling the king
he has never been proved wrong in anything before. He is absolutely
certain his theory about Hamlet is correct. Polonius’ self-importance makes
him long to be at the centre of royal affairs. He prolongs his moment of
importance by telling them he has found the “cause of Hamlet’s lunacy”
but then not sharing his theory until after the ambassadors leave.
 A MEDDLING SCHEMER: Polonius’ scheming tendencies are once more
clear. He comes up with a plan to observe Hamlet while he talks to Ophelia
in order to prove his theory about Hamlet’s madness. Polonius is meddling
in affairs that are none of his business and he intends to use his daughter
as bait in his scheming.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
• They are Hamlet’s old school
friends and the close relationship
is clear when Hamlet greets them
as “most excellent good friends”.
• They have been placed in a
difficult position. The king has
essentially asked them to spy on
their old friend and Hamlet
guesses immediately what they
are up to. Though they try to
deny it, Hamlet eventually
shames them into admitting the
truth.
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,
therefore, find themselves
torn between the king who
has summoned them and the
friend with whom they share
an “ever-preserved love”. As
they themselves say, how can
they disobey the “sovereign
power”, the most powerful
man in the kingdom? Yet can
they betray Hamlet’s
friendship by continuing to
spy and inform on him?
ACT TWO SCENE II: KEY QOUTES
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Gertrude: “More matter, with less art”
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Polonius: “At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him”
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Hamlet: “I am but mad north-north-west”
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Hamlet: “Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,
That I, the son of a dear father murdered,
Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,
Must like a whore, unpack my heart with words”
Hamlet: “The play’s the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King”
Think about it!
1. Do you agree, that in this scene, Claudius
shows himself to be highly skilled in his
dealings with people? Explain your answer.
2. In this scene, many characters try to discover
the truth about others . Provide and discuss
examples of this.
Revision Quiz
Q1: According to Polonius what is the cause of Hamlet’s strange behaviour?
Q2: What instructions does Polonius give to Reynaldo?
Q3: In Act 2, Scene I, Ophelia tells her father that Hamlet came to her room
looking and acting strangely. Describe how Hamlet looked and behaved.
Q4: Why does Claudius summon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
Q5: What do the ambassadors from Norway report to Claudius?
Q6: Polonius proposes a plan to Claudius that he hopes will uncover the
reason for Hamlet’s strange behaviour. What is this plan?
Revision Quiz
Q7: What news does Hamlet hear from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that
lifts his spirits?
Q8: Describe Hamlet’s plan “to catch the conscience of the King”.
Q9: Who says each of the following:
(a)brevity is the soul of wit
(b)Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t
(c) The play’s the thing / Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King
(d)For it cannot be / But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall / To make
oppression bitter