| What two task does polonius ask Reynaldo to accomplish on his trip to Paris? | Take money & letters to laertesTo spy on laertes |
| Why was Ophelia so frightened by hamlet’s visit? | His clothes were all may and he was acting strangely |
| How does Polonius react to her story? What does he intend to do about it? | Hamlet’s gone crazy b/c Ophelia’s turned him away.To tell Claudius & Gertrude about Hamlet. |
| For what two purposes have Claudius and Gertrude summoned Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Denmark? | To spy on hamlet & keep him distracted |
| According to Voltimand and Cornelius, how has the threat of Fortinbras to Denmark been eliminated? | Old Norway (who was young Fortin Brosens uncle) stopped the attack. |
| How does polonius make himself laughable in his report to Claudius and Gertrude on the probable cause of Hamlet’s madness? | Polonius makes the statement “brevity is the soul of wit.” Yet he talks a lot.*(more matter w/ less art) |
| In the “fishmonger” scene, how does Hamlet make fun or Polonius and at tg same time warn him about Ophelia? | Hamlet uses double talk during his craziness to make fun of polonius |
| At which point in their convo does Hamlet realize Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spies and how does he indirectly tell them he no longer trusts them? | They fumble with their answers so he asked them were you sent for.North north west(**warning: pay attention I’m not really crazy) |
| In what ways is Aeneas’ tale to Dido, which hamlet asks the first player to recite, comparable to hamlet’s personal situation? | Hamlet like pierus b/c he’s avenging his father’s murder.Hecuba is contrasted to Gertrude.Denmark is like Troy in that both face rein b/c of a kind murder. |
| (“O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!”) What motivates this speech, and what comparison does Hamlet make between himself and the actor? How does he feel about his own behavior, and what action does he now resolve to take? | Hamlet said theHamlet plans to put on a play that reacts the death of his father |
| Extra notes | •Shakespeare knew the actors•he knows plays•he was happy |
Hamlet Act II Questions
August 6, 2019