Hamlet

1
Hamlet

• Act 2

2
Act II Scene i

• Characterization of Polonius
• 'And in part him but' you may say 'not
  wellBut, if't be he I mean, he's very
  wildAddicted so and so' and there put on
  himWhat forgeries you please marry, none so
  rankAs may dishonour him take heed of
  thatBut, sir, such wanton, wild and usual
  slipsAs are companions noted and most knownTo
  youth and liberty (17-24).

3
Act II Scene i

• Characterization of Polonius
• Polonius wants Reynaldo to spy on Laertes
• Pretend you know him
• Say hes wild but nothing to dishonor him
• Not sex crazy
• Try to find out by baiting people
• Controlling and demanding
• In everyones business
• Spying

4
Act II sc i

• Hamlets madness
• My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,Lord
  Hamlet, with his doublet all unbracedNo hat
  upon his head his stockings foul'd,Ungarter'd,
  and down-gyved to his anclePale as his shirt
  his knees knocking each otherAnd with a look so
  piteous in purportAs if he had been loosed out
  of hellTo speak of horrors,--he comes before me
  (76-83).
• Ophelia very concerned
• Hamlet did not look like himself, looked crazy

5
Act II Scene i

• Hamlets madness
• He took me by the wrist and held me hardThen
  goes he to the length of all his armAnd, with
  his other hand thus o'er his brow,He falls to
  such perusal of my faceAs he would draw it. Long
  stay'd he soAt last, a little shaking of mine
  armAnd thrice his head thus waving up and
  down,He raised a sigh so piteous and profoundAs
  it did seem to shatter all his bulkAnd end his
  being that done, he lets me goAnd, with his
  head over his shoulder turn'd,He seem'd to find
  his way without his eyesFor out o' doors he
  went without their helps,And, to the last,
  bended their light on me (86-99).
• Strange actions and behaviors
• Acting crazy- theme of acting
• Because of love? Because of the death of his
  father, the marriage?
• Part of a plan?

6
Act II Scene i

• Hamlets madness
• That hath made him mad.I am sorry that with
  better heed and judgmentI 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 ageTo cast beyond ourselves in
  our opinionsAs it is common for the younger
  sortTo lack discretion (109-116).
• Polonius feels it is his fault
• Thinks it is because of unrequited love
• Hes old and doesnt understand the young

7
Act II Scene ii

• Claudiuss suspicions
• Something have you heardOf Hamlet's
  transformation so call it,Sith nor the exterior
  nor the inward manResembles that it was. What it
  should be,More than his father's death, that
  thus hath put himSo much from the understanding
  of himself,I cannot dream of (4-10).
• Curious as to why Hamlet seems sad
• Thinks it is because of his fathers death but
  worried?
• Since they are childhood friends, hell confide
  in you
• Find out what is wrong so we can remedy the
  situation
• Spying
• Irony- only for his own good

8
Act II Scene ii

• Norway
• His nephew's levies which to him appear'dTo be
  a preparation 'gainst the PolackBut, better
  look'd into, he truly foundIt was against your
  highness whereat grieved,That so his sickness,
  age and impotenceWas falsely borne in hand,
  sends out arrestsOn Fortinbras which he, in
  brief, obeysReceives rebuke from Norway, and in
  fineMakes vow before his uncle never moreTo
  give the assay of arms against your majesty
  (63-71).
• Norway was planning on attacking us
• Told his nephew he cant attack
• Young Fortinbras will not attack and receive
  money and safe passage through Denmark to attack
  Poland

9
Act II Scene ii

• Hamlets madness
• I would fain prove so. But what might you
  think,When I had seen this hot love on the
  wing--As I perceived it, I must tell you
  that,Before my daughter told me--what might
  you,Or my dear majesty your queen here,
  think,If I had play'd the desk or table-book,Or
  given my heart a winking, mute and dumb,Or
  look'd upon this love with idle sightWhat might
  you think? No, I went round to work,And my young
  mistress thus I did bespeak'Lord Hamlet is a
  prince, out of thy starThis must not be' and
  then I precepts gave her,That she should lock
  herself from his resort,Admit no messengers,
  receive no tokens (131-144)
• Polonius reiterates what happened with Ophelia
  Hamlet
• Reads love letter from Hamlet to Ophelia
• Polonius explains his part in Hamlets madness

10
Act II Scene i

• 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 himBe
  you and I behind an arras thenMark the
  encounter if he love her notAnd 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

11
Act II Scene ii

• Polonius and Hamlet
• You are a fishmonger (174).
• Insults Polonius
• Hamlet insults Ophelia
• Implies she is a whore
• Let her not walk i' the sun conception is
  ablessing but not as your daughter may
  conceive.Friend, look to 't (184-185).

12
Act II Scene ii

• Hamlet and Polonius
• Polonius implies that Hamlet is truly mad
• There are many meanings to his replies
• Meet with Ophelia to see for sure
• How pregnant sometimes his replies are! a
  happinessthat often madness hits on, which
  reason and sanitycould not so prosperously be
  delivered of. I willleave him, and suddenly
  contrive the means ofmeeting between him and my
  daughter.--My honourablelord, I will most humbly
  take my leave of you (207-213).

13
Act II Scene ii

• Hamlet and GR
• 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
  Ithank you and sure, dear friends, my thanks
  aretoo dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for?
  Is ityour own inclining? Is it a free
  visitation? Come,deal justly with me come,
  come nay, speak (242-246).

14
Act II Scene ii

• Hamlet a GR
• Hamlet explains he is upset b/c he has lost all
  faith in humanity
• I have of late--butwherefore I know not--lost
  all my mirth, forgone allcustom of exercises
  and indeed it goes so heavilywith my disposition
  that this goodly frame, theearth, seems to me a
  sterile promontory, this mostexcellent canopy,
  the air, look you, this braveo'erhanging
  firmament, this majestical roof frettedwith
  golden fire, why, it appears no other thing tome
  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 howexpress and admirable! in action how
  like an angel!in apprehension how like a god!
  the beauty of theworld! the paragon of animals!
  And yet, to me,what is this quintessence of
  dust? man delights notme no, nor woman neither,
  though by your smilingyou seem to say so
  (265-280).

15
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 Priams wife mourned vowed revenge
• Reminiscent of Hamlets situation
• Indicates her sorrow with his death (Gertrude)

16
Act II Scene ii

• Hamlet and GR
• 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
  theMurder of Gonzago? (477).
• We'll ha't to-morrow night. You could, for a
  need,study a speech of some dozen or sixteen
  lines, whichI would set down and insert in't,
  could you not? (479-480).