Hamlet by William Shakespeare

1. Hamlet by William Shakespeare Act II

2. Hamlet – Act II • Scene One: • Polonius sends a servant to spy on his son. • Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet is behaving strangely. • Polonius assumes that he is mad because he cannot have Ophelia. • Polonius admits that he misjudged Hamlet’s intentions.

3. Hamlet – Act II • Scene two: • Claudius and Gertrude have sent Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on Hamlet. • Polonius arrives and after conducting some business, tells Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet has gone mad because Polonius forbade Ophelia to see Hamlet. • Polonius tells Claudius that they should set Hamlet up by having Ophelia run into him.

4. Hamlet – Act II • Scene two continued: • Once set up, Hamlet arrives, engrossed in a book. • Polonius sends Claudius and Gertrude away, so that he can speak to Hamlet • Polonius is convinced, by Hamlet’s encrypted answers, that Hamlet has gone mad (crazy). • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear, and Hamlet quickly ascertains that they are spies for Claudius.

5. Hamlet – Act II • Scene two continued: • Hamlet tells them that he is wise to their plan, and they admit guilt. • Hamlet tells them how depressed and disappointed he is. • A group of actors appear, and Hamlet welcomes them, telling them about a scene he once saw them perform. • He asks the players to perform “The Murder of Gonzago” (which he renames “The Mousetrap”).

6. Hamlet – Act II • Scene two continued: • The play is scheduled for the following night, and Hamlet adds that he will write a few lines to be performed within the play. • In a soliloquy, Hamlet chides himself for not avenging his father’s murder more quickly. • He decides that he will test Claudius’s guilt by his reaction to the murder scene, and then he will take action.