Hamlet
Act 2
Act II Scene i
• Characterization of Polonius
– “'And in part him; but' you may say 'not well:
But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so:' and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty” (17-24).
Act II Scene i
• Characterization of Polonius
– Wants Reynaldo to spy on Laertes
– Say he’s wild but nothing to dishonor him
• Not sex crazy
– Long-winded
• Controlling and demanding
• In everyone’s business
– Spying
– Comical
Act II sc i
• Hamlet’s “madness:
– “My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ancle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
And with a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosed out of hell
To speak of horrors,--he comes before me” (76-83).
– Ophelia very concerned
– Did not look like himself, looked crazy
Act II Scene i
• Hamlet’s “madness”
– “He took me by the wrist and held me hard;
Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face
As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;
At last, a little shaking of mine arm
And thrice his head thus waving up and down,
He raised a sigh so piteous and profound
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk
And end his being: that done, he lets me go:
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o' doors he went without their helps,
And, to the last, bended their light on me” (86-99).
•
•
•
•
•
•
Strange actions and behaviors
Insanity?
Because of her betrayal?
Theme of acting
Because of love? Death of his father? The marriage?
Part of a plan?
Act II Scene i
• Hamlet’s “madness”
– “That hath made him mad.
I am sorry that with better heed and judgment
I had not quoted him: I fear'd he did but trifle,
And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy!
By heaven, it is as proper to our age
To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions
As it is common for the younger sort
To lack discretion” (109-116).
– Polonius feels it is his fault
– Because of unrequited love
– He’s old and doesn’t understand the young
Act II Scene ii
• Claudius’s suspicions
– “Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so call it,
Sith nor the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was. What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of:” (4-10).
•
•
•
•
Why Hamlet seems sad
Because of his father’s death but worried?
Childhood friends, he’ll confide in you
How can we “remedy” the situation
– Spying
– Irony- only for his own good
Act II Scene ii
• Norway
– “His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;
But, better look'd into, he truly found
It was against your highness: whereat grieved,
That so his sickness, age and impotence
Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway, and in fine
Makes vow before his uncle never more
To give the assay of arms against your majesty” (63-71).
• Planning on attacking us
• Told nephew he can’t attack
– will not attack, receive money and safe passage through Denmark
to attack Poland
Act II Scene ii
• Polonius’ plan
– Arrange for Ophelia to meet and talk with
Hamlet and we will listen in
• “At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him:
Be you and I behind an arras then;
Mark the encounter: if he love her not
And be not from his reason fall'n thereon,
Let me be no assistant for a state,
But keep a farm and carters” (162-167)
– Spying
Act II Scene ii
• Polonius and Hamlet
– “You are a fishmonger” (174).
• Insults Polonius
• Seller of fish?
• Procurer?
– Hamlet insults Ophelia
– Implies she is a whore
• “Let her not walk i' the sun: conception is a
blessing: but not as your daughter may conceive.
Friend, look to 't” (184-185).
Hamlet and Polonius
•
First Encounter
–
“For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog,
being a good kissing carrion—Have you a
daughter?...Let her not walk i’ th’sun.
Conception is a blessing, but, as your daughter
may conceive, friend, look to ‘t.”
(II.ii.197-199, 201-203)
Hamlet and Polonius
•
Pregnancy Imagery
–
Closely related to decay and death imagery
• Symbolic of Hamlet’s view of humanity?
» “something rotten in the state of
Denmark”
–
Mocking Polonius?
• Insight into Hamlet and Ophelia’s
relationship?
– Sexual relationship?
Act II Scene ii
• Hamlet and Polonius
• Polonius implies that Hamlet is truly mad
– There are many meanings to his replies
• Ramblings or a mad man?
– Meet with Ophelia to see for sure
• “How pregnant sometimes his replies are! a happiness
that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity
could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will
leave him, and suddenly contrive the means of
meeting between him and my daughter.--My honourable
lord, I will most humbly take my leave of you” (207-213).
Act II Scene ii
• Hamlet and G&R
– They try and find out what is wrong
– Hamlet is privy to their questions
• “Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I
thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are
too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it
your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come,
deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak” (242246).
Act II Scene ii
• Hamlet a G&R
– Hamlet explains he is upset b/c he has lost all faith in humanity
“I have of late--but
wherefore I know not--lost all my mirth, forgone all
custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily
with my disposition that this goodly frame, the
earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most
excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave
o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted
with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to
me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not
me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling
you seem to say so” (265-280).
Act II Scene ii
• G & R indicate that actors are coming to
perform a play & that should cheer up
Hamlet
• Actors & Hamlet discuss a story from Greek
mythology- allusion
– Aeneas’ Tale
– Priam, King of Troy (Trojan Horse), was killed
by Phyrrus seeking revenge for the death of his
father, Achilles.
– Hecuba was Priam’s wife: mourned & vowed
revenge
– Reminiscent of Hamlet’s situation
– Indicates her sorrow with his death (Gertrude)
Act II Scene ii
• Hamlet and G&R
• Hamlet talks to the players & asks if he can add
a few lines to their play
– “Dost thou hear me, old friend; can you play the
Murder of Gonzago?” (477).
– “We'll ha't to-morrow night. You could, for a need,
study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines, which
I would set down and insert in't, could you not?” (479480).