Act Two

 Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on how his son is behaving in Paris.  Ophelia reports that Hamlet entered her room, behaving in an extremely strange manner.  Ophelia has refuse to see Hamlet and has also rejected his letters.  Polonius believes that rejection as turned hamlet mad.

 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive to spy on Hamlet.  Claudius allows Fortinbras to march his forces across Denmark.  Claudius plans a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia on which he will eavesdrop.  Hamlet, feigning madness, taunts Polonius and forces R and G to admit they were sent for  Hamlet discovers that a theatrical company is arriving at Elsinore.

What it should be, More than his father’s death, that thus hath put him So much from th' understanding of himself, I cannot dream of. These lines suggest that Claudius fears Hamlet may suspect his involvement in his father’s death. Of course, he can not reveal this. He may already be considering ways to get rid of Hamlet at this point.

And I do think—or else this brain of mine Hunts not the trail of policy so sure As it hath used to do—that I have found The very cause of Hamlet’s lunacy. Polonius believes that he has found the cause of Hamlet’s apparent madness (Ophelia’s rejection of his love).

I doubt it is no other but the main: His father’s death and our o'erhasty marriage. Gertrude worries that her remarriage is the cause of Hamlet’s madness.

With an entreaty, herein further shown, That it might please you to give quiet pass Through your dominions for this enterprise, On such regards of safety and allowance As therein are set down. Fortinbras is no longer threatening to go to war with Denmark. However, he wishes permission to march across Denmark to fight the Poles. Like Hamlet, Fortinbras is the grieving son of a dead king, a prince whose uncle inherited the throne in his place. But where Hamlet has sunk into despair, contemplation, and indecision, Fortinbras has devoted himself to the pursuit of revenge.

 To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most beautified Ophelia”—  Polonius reads a love letter written by Hamlet, addressed to Ophelia.

Which done, she took the fruits of my advice; And he, repelled—a short tale to make— Fell into a sadness, then into a fast, Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness, Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension, Into the madness wherein now he raves And all we mourn for.

 Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.  Not I, my lord.  Then I would you were so honest a man.  One meaning of ‘fishmonger’ is whoremaster. Polonius is using his daughter to his own ends (enhancing his position with Claudius) just as a brothel keeper uses prostitutes.  Envisioning Ophelia as a prostitute is consistent with Hamlet’s misogyny.

 Hamlet : For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion.  Yet another image of decay/ disease (Further evidence that ‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark). Here is the image of the sun kissing the rotten flesh of a dead animal and generating maggots.

 Hamlet’s mood greatly changes with the entrance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. At first he engages them in witty banter:  “In the secret parts of Fortune? O most true, she is a strumpet?”  He then goes on to take part in a philosophical dialogue with them:  “A dream itself is but a shadow.”

 I have of late,—but wherefore I know not,—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire,—why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me... No, nor woman niether.

 Hamlet reveals his melancholy here. He builds up an elaborate and glorified picture of the earth and humanity before declaring it all merely a “quintessence of dust.”  He examines the earth, the air, and the sun, and rejects them as “a sterile promontory” and “a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors.”  He then describes human beings from several perspectives: human beings’ reason is noble, their faculties infinite, their forms and movements fast and admirable, their actions angelic, and their understanding godlike. But, to Hamlet, humankind is merely dust.

 Hamlet: I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a hand saw.  Hamlet reveals his antic disposition; he only appears to be mad at certain times I.e. When the wind is north by north west. At other times he is fine.

 O what a rogue and peasant slave am I.  Comes directly after he has seen the performance of a speech by the First Player. Hamlet compares himself to the actor, and finds himself wanting. The First Player has produced such an effective performance, with “Tears in his eyes, distraction in’s aspect” (II.2) with only a pretended cause for emotion, a “dream of passion”, whereas Hamlet berates himself for having a greater “cue for passion” and not acting.

 Hecuba ] Trojan queen and heroine of classical mythology. Earlier in this scene Hamlet asks the First Player to recite a monologue retelling Hecuba's response to the death of her husband, King Priam. The Player tells us that Hecuba's grief was profound and "Would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven/And passion in the gods." The contrast between Gertrude and Hecuba should be noted. To Hamlet, Hecuba has responded appropriately to her husband's death, while Gertrude has not.

 What would he do, (565) Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have?cue for passion  Hamlet considers what action the actor would take if he had the motivation for revenge that Hamlet does.

 ‘Make mad the guilty’-this is what Hamlet intends to do to Claudius.  ‘Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, ‘muddy-mettledpeakJohn-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause  Hamlet curses himself for not taking action. He sees himself as dull and spiritless.

 Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard, and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' the throat, As deep as to the lungs? who does me this? (580) Ha!pate  Hamlet imagines a succession of insults.

 This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murder'd, (590) Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words, And fall a-cursing,  Hamlet curses himself for being given over to thoughts, rather than action.  The cause of his delay is a lack of certainty that the Ghost was his father:  he spirit that I have seen (605) May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me

 The arrival of the players (actors) helps develop an important theme: how real life is often like play acting. Consider the ‘acting’ of both Claudius and Hamlet.  Hamlet resolves to devise a trap for Claudius, forcing the king to watch a play whose plot closely resembles the murder of Hamlet’s father.  I'll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks; I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench, I know my course.blench  “The play’s the thing,” he declares, “wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king” (II.ii.581–582).