Name_____________                                                                                      English 11

Mrs. Moorman/ Mrs. Murray                                                                           Period____

 

Hamlet Act 2 Scene 1

 

Summary – What happens in this scene?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Characters –   Who are they?  What is their role in the scene?

 

Polonius:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reynaldo:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ophelia:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Lines – Interpret each quote in your own words and then explain why it is important.

 

1)      Polonius:  

“See you now-
Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth;
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlasses and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out.
So, by my former lecture and advice,
Shall you my son.” 2.1.69-73

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)      Ophelia:

]     “My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd,
No hat upon his head, his stockings foul'd,
Ungart'red, and down-gyved to his ankle;
Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other,
And with a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosed out of hell
To speak of horrors- he comes before me.” 2.1.87-94

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)      Polonius:

“Come, go with me. I will go seek the King.
This is the very ecstasy of love,” 2.1.113-114

 

 

 

 

 

Further Questions-

 

1)      What does Polonius want Reynaldo to do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)      How does he justify this course of action?

 

                              

 

 

 

 

 

3)      How does this compare with Polonius’s advice to Laertes, “To thine own self be true.”?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)      How does Ophelia describe Hamlet?  What does he look like?  What does her description suggest about his state of mind?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)      What does Polonius think is the reason for Hamlet’s appearance and behavior?  What does he plan to do about it?