Hamlet Notes ~ Act II Scene II

• Hamlet is "transformed" in the eyes of those who surround him
• King Claudius asking Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to ask Hamlet questions (very similar to the Polonius and Laertes situation)
• Voltimand and Cornelius > nephew wanted to attack Denmark but was imprisoned by Voltimand and instead told to attack Poland (needs to go through Denmark to attack Poland)
• "brevity is the soul of wit" - Polonius
• Polonius tells Claudius and Gertrude what is "wrong" with Hamlet> says to cut his head off if he is wrong
• Gertrude figures that he is still grieving his father's death, and is angry about the fast marriage> changes her mind after Polonius' evidence (letter)
• Hamlet calls Polonius a 'fishmonger' > acts crazy as well as insulting him> Hamlet toying with Polonius
• "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't."
• "For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." - Hamlet
• Hamlet + Rosencrantz + Guildenstern = fooling no one, Hamlet knows his friends are being paid to get information about him, knows they are being fake
• Men admit to being sent for by the Queen and King
• What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
  how infinite in faculty! 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?
• Polonius returns, Hamlet calls him a big baby, Rosencrantz says that "an old man is twice a child"t,
• "O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou!" > Polonius would sacrifice his own daughter for his own advantage, just like Jephthah did
• 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. The spirit that I have seen
  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: I'll have grounds
  More relative than this: the play 's the thing
  Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.
• Above statement> Hamlet is going to give 12 lines to 'First Player,' something similar to the death of his father, Hamlet will watch his uncle and his reaction to know his conscience> also the first time that Hamlet questions whether the ghost was his father or the devil in disguise