Hamlet Act II

Themes Appearance vs. Reality 1. Polonius orders Reynaldo to spy on Laertes a. Shows P’s distrust of his own son b. Shows P’s techniques for success at court

Themes, continued Appearances vs. Reality 2. Claudius charges Rosencrantz & Guildenstern to report on Hamlet a.He mistrusts Hamlet’s madness 3. Both Gertrude and Ophelia agree to help entrap Hamlet, but neither does so willingly – this is a key, however, to Hamlet’s inability to let himself love either of them

Themes, cont. Madness 1.Both Polonius and Ophelia misinterpret Hamlet’s behavior O thinks he’s really mad, P thinks love sick Note: The Elizabethan figure of the melancholy lover, part comical, part pathetic, was a stock character in the popular imagination

Themes, cont. Acting, pretense, hypocrisy, eavesdropping, punning – run throughout this act. Everyone seems to be playing a part and pretending to be someone else or getting people to spy secretly. Introduction of players and a play

Hamlet’s second soliloquy Direct link with the theme of appearance and reality as H contrasts himself with one of the actors Displays H’s melancholy and feeling of being trapped in a play that he must act to the end – getting revenge for his father’s death Displays H’s use of words and his realization that he is trapped by his own words and inability to act Reveals his own plan to entrap the king