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Notes on Hamlet Act II

Notes on Hamlet Act II. Characters General information Time span between Acts I and II Acts of Deception Literary terms Hamlet’s second of four great soliloquies Quotes (5 total) Themes. Characters in Hamlet. Late King Hamlet Gertrude Prince Hamlet Claudius Polonius Ophelia

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Notes on Hamlet Act II

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  1. Notes on Hamlet Act II • Characters • General information • Time span between Acts I and II • Acts of Deception • Literary terms • Hamlet’s second of four great soliloquies • Quotes (5 total) • Themes

  2. Characters in Hamlet • Late King Hamlet • Gertrude • Prince Hamlet • Claudius • Polonius • Ophelia • Reynaldo • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

  3. General Information Hamlet • First performed: • 1600-1601 • Five Act Structure: Purpose of Act II • Take action on the conflict presented in Act I • Primary Setting: • Castle of Elsinore; Denmark • Time Period: • 16th Century

  4. Act II Hamlet notes: • Evidence that time has gone by between Act I and Act II: • 1. Laertes back at school. • 2. Hamlet’s madness is evident. • 3. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been sent for and arrived in Denmark. • 4. Letter from Old Norway has returned. • 5. Traveling actors have been sent for and arrived in Denmark.

  5. Act II Hamlet notes: Acts of deception (theme): • Reynaldo sent to spy on Laertes. • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sent for by Claudius and Gertrude to cheer up/spy on Hamlet. • Polonius’ set up of Ophelia and Hamlet to test Hamlet’s madness. (advantages/disadvantages of Polonius believing Hamlet is mad) • Hamlet feigning madness. • Hamlet setting up Claudius with the play.

  6. Act II Hamlet notes: Literary Terms: Aside • Definition: when a character reveals thoughts while other character’s are on stage; information is meant for the audience to hear, not the other characters present. • Soliloquy • Definition: when a character is alone on stage revealing his/her inner thoughts to the audience through a lengthy speech.

  7. Act II Hamlet notes: Literary Terms: • Ironic Effect • Definition: When a character realizes something obvious that other characters or the audience/reader has realized all along; an epiphany. • Dramatic Irony • Definition: When the audience or reader knows or perceives something other characters do not.

  8. Act II Hamlet notes: • Second of four Great Soliloquies delivered by Hamlet: • Three main parts: • 1. Hamlet is upset that the actors are more passionate than he is and they haven’t experienced any of the things first hand like he has. • 2. Hamlet doubts his ability to avenge his father’s death; believes he is a coward. • 3. Hamlet discusses his plan to reveal Claudius’ guilt to test the validity of the ghost.

  9. Act II Hamlet notes: Act II Quotes ( 5 total) Polonius: This must be known, which being kept close, might move/More grief to hide than hate to utter love. Polonius: Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t. (aside) Hamlet: I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is/ southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw. (Theme of deception)

  10. Act II Hamlet notes: Act II Quotes (cont.): Hamlet: I have heard/ that guilty creatures sitting at a play/ have, by the very cunning of the scene/ been struck so to the soul that presently/ they have proclaimed their malefactions. (Theme of deception) Hamlet: The spirit that I have seen/ may be a (devil), and the (devil)hath power.

  11. Act II Hamlet notes: Briefly paraphrase the Player’s speech about Pyrrhus and King Priam. Explain how the story of Pyrrhus is foiled to that of Hamlet’s life. 1. Pyrrhus is the son of Achilles who was killed by Paris during the Trojan War. 2.Pyrrhus wants revenge. Since Paris is dead, he seeks out Paris’ family including Paris’ father, King Priam. 3. Pyrrhus is a foil to Hamlet because both sons seek vengeance for father’s deaths, but go about it in different ways.

  12. Act II Hamlet notes: Themes: Deception Corruption Revenge Appearance vs. Reality

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