Act II
- Why does this act open with Polonius and Reynaldo? What does this tell us about Polonius's character, and what theme or motif does it introduce in the play?
- How does the interaction between Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern help to explain what's wrong with Hamlet? Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Denmark?
- The First Player's speech is often cut in performances of the play. Explain why it is important and why it should not be cut.
- Hamlet's "O what a rogue and peasant slave am I" is the first of his soliloquies. What is he saying, and how does this set of words help to move him to action?
- What does he decide to do at the end of this speech?
Maya and Dayanara
ReplyDelete1. To question Laertes. This tells us that Polonius evil and lair for not trusting his son. The theme or motif that is being developed is treason.
2. The king and queen have brought them to Denmark to and talk to hamlet and try to figure out what is wrong with him. The interaction did nothing to help explain what is wrong with him, because hamlet insists that there is nothing wrong with him.
3.It is a motif and mirrors the ghost monologue from act one. The speech shows funny critical commentary between two characters.
4. He feels helpless and hopeless, he also feels dishonest which makes him more ready to seek revenge.
5.Hamlet decides to put together a play with the scenes of how his father died. He hopes that Claudius will confess once he sees the truth. He also wants to see if the ghost is lying to him.
1. Polonius asks Reynaldo to spy on his son Laertes, which parallels Claudius' request for R. and G. to spy on Hamlet. There's a bunch of spying, lying and deceit so far.
ReplyDelete2. Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out the cause of the change in Hamlets behavior. Their conversation explains Hamlet's suspicions against his uncle and contributes to Hamlet's search for truth about his father's murder.
3. The first player's speech mirrors the ghost's monologue in Act 1.
4. Hamlet's beating himself up because he can't have as much passion for his father's ACTUAL murder than the players can for a FAKE death.
5. He decides to have his uncle watch a play similar to the events of his father's murder, hoping to have his uncle confess his guilty conscious.
Michaela, Tyler, Sophie
ReplyDelete1) This act opens with the two of them because it gives insight to what is going to happen. Polonius is bossy and is very wordy. The theme that is introduced is parents over protectiveness and adults sending people to spy on the kids.
2) Hamlet feels imprisoned in his life and doesn't like where he is at. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are in Denmark to spy on hamlet for Claudius.
2. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are in Denmark because Gertrude invited them to cheer Hamlet up. Hamlet's interaction with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern reveals Hamlet's neurosis.
ReplyDelete4. Hamlet's soliloquies all reflect a sense of indecision and self doubt. In this soliloquie in particular, Hamlet reflects on hoa he is bound to his own morality and his sense of right and wrong in his debacle on how to revenge his fathers death.
Hannah and Matthew
Patrick and Otis:
ReplyDelete1) The act opens with Polonius and his servant, Reynaldo, to show how Polonius is a wealthy character of the novel. This introduces the theme of servanthood meaning the idea of one character doing favors for others.
2) Hamlet's interaction with these two characters causes him to be suspicious of their arrival by other means, and causes him to be confused and shows his feelings of disillusionment during the scene,
3) The First Player's speech is important because it brings about the shift in Hamlet's mood and character, this is important to the evolution of Hamlet's character.
4) Hamlet is saying how he does not have much control over the current situation, and feels like a "sheep" and continues to have degrading thoughts.
5) At the end of his speech, Hamlet decides to show Claudius a play consisting of a murder, resembling his own father's death. He attempts to get a reaction from Claudius and for Claudius to understand the allegory involved.
Polonius is sending Reynaldo to spy on Laertes. It shows that Polonius is sneaky and doesnt trust his own son. It introduces deception and sneakiness as a motif.
ReplyDeleteRosentcrantz and Guilderstern have been sent to Denmark to see what was wrong with Hamlet. They help reveal that Hamlet is more and more suspicious of his uncle.
It sets foreshadows future events and mirrors the ghosts monologue from act one
Hamlet has become a slave to his own thoughts. he doesnt know wether or not he should seek revenge on his uncle.
hamlet decides to put on a play that would mirror his fathers death and make his uncle watch it.