Title: Hamlet Act II, scene i 1. What is ironic about Polonius
1Hamlet
21. What is ironic about Polonius attempt to
learn about Laertes life in Paris?
- If Reynaldo follows Polonius instruction, he
will essentially ruin Laertes reputation while
trying to gather information.
32. Why would Polonius immediately jump to the
conclusion that Hamlet is mad for Ophelias love?
- Ophelias description of Hamlet in unfastened and
rumpled clothing is the Renaissance convention of
the man suffering from unrequited love. As
Ophelia has broken off al contact with Hamletat
Polonius commandhe readily interprets his
appearance and actions, as described by Ophelia,
to be signs of unrequited love.
43. Consider how the episode of Hamlet in
Ophelias closet promises to contribute to the
overall calamity of the tragic plot?
- Ophelia has now allied herself with those who
oppose Hamlet. If Hamlet does indeed love
Ophelia, then her breaking up with him is just
another betrayallike his mothers hasty marriage
to his uncle and her role in his fathers murder.
If he does not really love her, then he is using
her to advance his madness ruse. In either event,
she is now involved in the intrigue and
corruption of the court and will probably not
escape being destroyed in the calamity.
5Hamlet
61. Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern willing spies
for Claudius and Gertrude?
- Probably not. Gertrude flatters them by telling
them that Hamlet often speaks of them as his
favorite childhood friends and still feels a good
bit of affection for them. Claudius frames his
request in terms of two friends finding out
what is wrong with their third friend so that
they can help his family find the remedy.
72. What effect is created by the scenes between
Hamlet and Polonius being in prose?
- Hamlets part of the dialogue relies on slang and
puns. Shakespeare wants to emphasize these and
not allow the audience/reader to lose them in the
metrical pattern of blank verse. Polonius prose
responses also highlight his own foolishness and
lack of wit.
83. What are some of the slang expressions and
puns Hamlet uses in his first exchange with
Polonius? Why are they significant?
- First Hamlet calls Polonius a fishmonger,
literally a lower-class hawker of common fish
from a wagon. Fishmonger has also been
generally regarded to mean some form of a pimp,
given the fact that Polonius first ordered his
daughter to serve her relationship with Hamlet
and then later ran to the king excitedly to
report that Hamlet was truly in love with her. He
has already arranged to spy on his own daughter
and Hamlet in order to maintain or increase his
political influence with the king and queen.
9- When Polonius asks Hamlet what he is reading,
Hamlet replies, Words. When Polonius follows
up with What is the matter? meaning what is the
subject matter of the words Hamlet is reading,
Hamlet responds to another understanding of the
question(what is the problem) Between who? - Later, Polonius says he will take his leave,
and Hamlet responds there is nothing he would
give more willingly thus Polonius does not need
to take it since Hamlet will gladly give it.
104. What is Hamlets initial reaction to the
appearance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
- He is glad to see them, yet as the scene
progresses, he wonders if they were sent for and
wants them to be honest with him.
115. Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hesitant
to admit that they are in Elsinore because the
king and queen sent for them?
- On the one hand, to admit that they were sent for
might be to admit that they are spies they did
not think to come on their own but came when they
were summoned. Note that they confess to being
summoned only when Hamlet demands that, if they
love him, they will tell him.
126. How does Hamlets famous What a piece of work
is a man! passage depart from typical
Renaissance humanism?
- The beginning of the passage reflects the popular
Renaissance belief that humankind was at the top
of the hierarchy of creation the paragon of
animals. But Hamlet ends, not celebrating
humanitys godlike status, but lamenting the
morality of flesh this quintessence of dust.
137. Why does Shakespeare introduce a troupe of
traveling players into the action of the play?
- The players will be the vehicle by which
Shakespeare can evaluate various characters
reactions to events and characters in the play.
Hamlet can assess his own inaction in terms of
the actors pretended grief. Hamlet can also use
the scene portraying his fathers murder to
observe Claudius and Gertrudes reactions.
148. What does Hamlets expression of concern about
the child actors used in the city contribute to
the plot or to the development of his character?
159. What is unusual about the players monologue
about the Fall of Troy?
- This monologue is written and told from the
Trojan point of view. Thus, the son of
Archilles(a Greek hero and the son of a Greek
hero) is portrayed as the heartless villian.