Who does Polonius send to spy on Laertes? | Renaldo |
Does Polonius actually care about his son? | No |
What is Polonius concerned about when he sends Renaldo to spy on Laertes? | His own reputation |
Who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | Childhood friends of Hamlet II |
Who is being used as pawns by Claudius? | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern |
Why is Claudius using Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as pawns? | Claudius knows they won’t argue or fight him |
Do Claudius and Gertrude care about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? | No |
Why did Claudius and Gertrude ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to visit? | So that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern can find out what is wrong with Hamlet II |
Does Claudius care more about Hamlet II or the possible war with Norway? | Hamlet II |
Is Gertrude aware of how upset her son his about her marriage with Claudius? | Yes |
Who returns to Denmark from Norway? | Voltimand |
What news from Norway does Voltimand get? | That Fortinbras does not intend to attack Denmark but instead wants safe passage |
How are Fortinbras and Hamlet II opposites? | Hamlet’s father died -> he grievesFortinbras father died -> he fights |
Who tells the King and Queen about Ophelia and Hamlet II? | Polonius |
What does Polonius read in front of Claudius and Gertrude? | A letter from Hamlet II to Ophelia |
What plan do Polonius, Gertrude, and Claudius devise to figure out if Hamlet II loves Ophelia or not? | They plan to get Ophelia and Hamlet II together and spy on them to figure out there behavior |
What is a fish monger? | slang for a pimp |
What happens when a actor talks “aside?” | They speak to the audience as if talking to themselves. The other people on stage can’t hear them |
What does Hamlet compare Denmark to? | A prison |
Does Hamlet II suspect why Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are visting? | Yes |
What famous father does Hamlet II cal Polonius? | Jephtah |
What is the play Hamlet asks to be preformed about? | The play would be a reenactment of Hamlet I’s murder |
What is Hamlet II’s plan surrounding the play? | To watch Claudius’s reaction |
What exactly is Reynaldo sent to Paris to do? | Make up rumors about Laertes and see if the rumors he invents are actually true |
Why does Polonius think that Hamlet II is acting weird? | Believes Hamlet II is in love with Ophelia |
How does Hamlet II appear to Ophelia in his guise of madness? | Disheveled but he does not speak |
Why does Polonius want to sort out Hamlets behavior? | The public will be scared if the people in charge are acting weird |
Is the King of Norway okay with Fortinbra’s plan to attack Denmark? | No he forbids Fortinbras from attacking Denamark |
Why does King Norway believe that Fortinbras is gathering troops? | To attack Poland |
What does Norway ask of Denmark? | Safe passage through Denmark to Poland |
What does Hamlet II reveal about his state of mind to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? | That nothing makes him happy |
Why (according to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) are the tragedians of the city forced to travel? | The child actors are the popular theatre production |
What does Hamlet II mean when he tells R&G that he is “but mad north-north-west”? | There is one thing causing him to act crazy but he is in control. |
Hamlet and the players recount part of a play concerning Pyrrhus, Priam, and Hecuba. From the portion given here, write what happens to these 3 characters. | Priam is attacked by Prius and then Hecuba watches her husband die |
Hamlet makes a strange request of one of the players for tomorrow’s performance. What is his request, and why do you suppose he makes it? | Adding lines to the play in hopes of Claudius admitting his guilt |
What is meant by this oft quoted line, “What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba” | He is upset that the actor bring up true emotions about Hecuba’s loss. |
In his soliloquy, Hamlet both upbraids himself and reveals his course of action. Is he so cruel to himself, and what does he plan to do? | He is cruel to himself because he feels he is a coward for not already acting on his father behalf. Decides he will watch Claudius during the play before deciding his final act. |
Hamlet Act 2
August 8, 2019