Hamlet Act 2

Act 2 Hamlet

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  • Created by: lauren
  • Created on: 03-06-09 18:50

Hamlet Act 2 Scene 1

  • This scene is quite a while after the scene before, this is signaled by Laertus needing more money.
  • Laertus sends Reynaldo to spy on his son in France "visit him to make inquire of his behavior".
  • As Reynaldo leaves, Ophelia rushes in to tell her father about Hamlets strange behavior "as if he had been loosed from hell".
  • Ophelia describes his behavior, he has no hat on, his stockings are down etc.
  • Polonius interprets this that he is mad because Ophelia has rejected his love and his letters. Thinking he has found the cause of her lunacy, he rushes to tell the king. ""that i have found the very cause of Hamlets lunacy".
  • Ophelia in this scene has no spirit, she has no wish to follow her own heart and listens to everything her father says, unlike Shakespeare's Juliet.
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Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2 1

  • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern agree to spy on Hamlet for the King "to lay our service freely at your feet".
  • Polonius interprets this that he is mad because Ophelia has rejected his love and his letters. Thinking he has found the cause of her lunacy, he rushes to tell the king. ""that i have found the very cause of Hamlets lunacy".
  • The King allows Fortinbras to march his army across Denmark. Polonius informs the king and queen of Hamlets lunacy. "I will be brief: your noble son is mad".
  • Gertrude shows some understanding of her sons 'lunacy' in an aside to Claudius. "I doubt it was nothing but the main- His fathers death and our hasty marriage". This shows common sense, but Claudious is not sure.
  • Claudious agrees to let Polonius spy on Ophelia and Hamlet. Poloniuos "loose" his daughter Hamlet as if she is live bait in his quest to prove Hamlets lunacy. Polonius is so desperate to gain respect and power from Hamlet that he almost pawns his daughter to do so. Hamlet calls Polonius "fishmonger".
  • R and G see Hamlet . There is witty banter, as young boys do, we see Hamlet as he was before the Ghost and his fathers death. Hamlet knows they were sent to spy on him, they admit that. R and G tell Hamlet that there are 'Players' on the way.
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Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2 2

  • Hamlet gives the players a play to recite 'The murder of Gonzago' and gives them an extra part to add to the play, this is the part which will catch Claudious out.
  • The player recites a powerful play for Hamlet, this makes him recite his second soliloquy, Hamlet feels inadequate and ashamed of the delay with avenging his fathers death. Hamlet says doubts about the Ghosts legitimacy. "oh what a rogue and peasant slave I am" "but I am pigeon livered and lack gull".
  • Hamlet hopes to catch the kings conscience during the play. "The plays the thing Wherein ill catch the conscience of the King".
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Act 2 Key Quotes

  • Visit him to make inquire of his behavior"
  • As if he had been loosed from hell"
  • That I have found the very cause of Hamlets lunacy
  • "I will be brief:your noble son is mad"
  • "I doubt it is nothing but the main, his fathers death and our hasty marriage"
  • Polonius "loose" ophelia to Hamlet, Hamlet calls him "fishmonger".
  • "oh what a rouge and peasant slave i am" "but i am pigeon livered and lack gull".
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Act 3 Scene 1

  • Claudious and R and G discuss Hamlets 'lunacy' "turbulent and dangerous lunacy".
  • Polonius informs the King and Queen about Hamlets play.
  • Polonius speech gives Claudious' conscience a lash "That speech doth give my conscience".
  • Hamlet performs his 'to be or not to be' soliloquy.
  • Hamlet comes across Ophelia, Polonius and Claudious are listening.
  • Hamlet talks about- "I loved you not"- Polonius and Laertus were right about love being short.
  • "Get thee to a nunnery"- Then she can not be with a man anymore, so can not corrupt him.
  • "We are arrant naves"- all men are corrupt, do not trust them. This is true with the men in the play.
  • "Wheres your father"- this shows Hamlet lunacy as he quickly jumps from one subject to the next, but it also shows that Hamlet is surprised to find Ophelia on her own, without the presence of Polonius, shows her status in the play.
  • "Those that are married already- all but one shall live" this is a reference to the King.
  • Ophelia talks about what has happened to Hamlet "o what a noble mind is here overthrown". she lists what attributes Hamlet had before.
  • Claudious is distraught by what he hears, he realises that somthing is wrong, and decides to ship Hamlet off the England "He shall with speed to England". "Madness in great ones must not go unwatched".
  • Polonius decides it would be good to spy on Hamlet with the Queen.
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Act 3 Scene 2

  • Hamlet makes his preparations for the play.
  • Hamlet asks Horatio, is one trustworthy friend, to observe the Kings reaction to the play, so they can compare notes about if he is guilty and the Ghost is telling the truth. This shows Hamlet is perhaps not as mad as people think, as he is asking for a second opinion, it could also show he is beginning to think himself mad, and needs someone else to show him he's not imagining things. "observe my uncle".
  • The play goes on, Hamlet is watching claudius, who has his guilty conscience in total control whilst in public. His lack of reaction infuriates Hamlet, who keeps giving a running commentary of the play to provoke a reaction "see how the murderer gets the love of Gonzagos wife".
  • The king finally gets up and leaves, his conscience has been touched "Give me some light away".
  • Polonius tells Hamlet his mother wants to speak with him. Hamlet says he will talk to her, "I will speak daggers to her, but use none". This is going along with what the Ghost wants, the Ghost did not want Hamlet to revenge his mother.
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Act 3 Scene 3

  • Polonius tells the king he is hiding behind the arras.
  • Claudius shows he is guilty of his brothers murder. "A brothers murder, pray can i not". Claudius trys to pray and repent for his sins "Forgive me for my foul murder", he toys with his guilt, Hamlet sees him praying, and wants to kill him. He realizes if he kills him during prey, Claudius will go to Heaven, Hamlet says he wants to kill him "When he is drunk, asleep, or in his rage".
  • Hamlet always thinks of a reason to procrastinate out of actually taking revenge, he talks about it constantly, but never does anything. I think this is the cause of his lunacy.
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Act 3 Scene 4 1

  • Polonius tells the queen what to say to Hamlet. He hides behind the arras.
  • Hamlet is very harsh in his words towards is mother. Hamlet turns her finger of accusation, immediately back towards Gertrude with his mimicking of her words- "Thou father hast much offended" - "Mother you have my father much offended
  • "you answer with an idle tongue" - "you question with a wicked tongue".
  • He is harsh with her "you shall not budge".
  • Hamlet is shocked that a grown women can allow her sexuality to have power over her "judgement".
  • The queen shouts for help "help ho" this brings Polonius out from behind the arras, Hamlet kills him, thinking he is the King. When he finds out it is Polonius, Hamlet again points the finger of accusation away from him and at his mother "almost as bad- good mother as kill a king and marry with his brother". Hamlet has no remorse.
  • Hamlet talks bout the differences between Claudius and King Hamlet. He use the word "counterfeit" and "Mildewed" when describing Claudius.
  • The Ghost comes to see Hamlet, Gertrude can not see the Ghost, she finally thinks Hamlets mad "alas he is mad".
  • The Ghost is now in his Habit and is no longer wearing his battle armour.
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Act 3 Scene 4 2

  • Hamlet tells Gertrude not to go back to bed with Claudious, "but go not to my uncles bed". Hamlet really does not want his mother to sleep with the king agin, he is almost obsessed and is baiting himself going into such detail "reechy kisses".
  • The Queen promises to keep Hamlets secret, this is not a promise she keeps.
  • A new bond of maternal instinct between them has been prepared for the later scenes of the play.
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Act 3 Key Quotes 1

  • "turbulent and dangerous lunacy" "but go not to my uncles bed"
  • "that speech doth give my conscience" "reechy kisses"
  • "I loved you not"
  • "get thee to a nunnery"
  • "we are arrant knaves"
  • "wheres your father"
  • "those that are married already- all but one shall live"
  • "o what a noble mind is here overthrown"
  • "He shall with speed to England"
  • "madness in great ones must not go unwatched"
  • "see how the murderer gets the love of Gonzagos wife"
  • "give me some light away"
  • " I will speak daggers to her, but use none"
  • "A brothers murder, pray can i not".
  • "Forgive me for my foul murder"
  • "When he is drunk, asleep, or in his rage"
  • "Thou father hast much offended" "Mother you have much offended my father"
  • You answer with a idle tongue" - "you question with a wicked tongue"
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Act 3 Key Quotes 2

  • "you shall not budge" "help ho"
  • "almost as bad good mother as kill a king and marry his with his brother"
  • "counterfeit and mildewed"
  • "alas he is mad"
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