Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2

How does this scene prepare the reader for future scenes? Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, now the King and Queen’s spies, are instructed to find the cause of Hamlet’s misery.Claudius and Polonius will spy on a meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet to see if Hamlet is lovesick or insane.
Compare and contrast Hamlet and Fortinbras (briefly). Both Hamlet and Fortinbras want to avenge their father’s death (Hamlet- with his dad being killed off and Fortinbras- with his father’s lands taken away, etc.), both had dead fathers.
Why has Fortinbras changed his plan to attack Denmark? Fortinbras swore to never threaten Denmark again, so he changed his plans and planned to attack Poland but wanted to go through Denmark to get there. Fortinbras’s uncle did NOT want him to go attack Denmark
Why does Claudius hire Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (R&G) as spies? Because they were good childhood friends with Hamlet, he feels threatened by Hamlet’s madness.
How does Hamlet feel about R&G? Why? Hamlet knew that they had been sent by the king and queen when he saw the guilty look in their eyes after he had asked if they had come on their own free will. He knew they were honest men, has respect. He was excited when they first arrived, but once he figured out they were sent to spy he felt betrayed.
What is the story of Hecuba and Priam? Explain the story’s significance. What is Hamlet’s reaction to the story? a. The story is significant because it shows that you should be upset over a spouse’s death. But Hamlet was mad that his mother was not upset or grieving at all about her dead spouse. b.Hecuba is grieving over her murdered husband. c.An actor was showing more emotion than his mother was.
Hamlet’s soliloquy explains what? Hamlet makes caustic remarks to Polonius reflecting Hamlet’s scorn for Polonius. He is mad about his father’s death.
What idea does Hamlet get from having the players in town? Hamlet decides to have the actors perform something similar to how his father’s death was so that he could observe his uncle’s reaction and prove his claim, that his uncle killed his father.
August 10, 2019