Rebekah Temp

11-27-13
p.2
Act II.
Scene i. Some Distant Knowledge

Faith, no, as you may season it in the charge. You must not put another scandal on him
that he is open to incontinency. Thats not my meaning. But breathe his faults so quaintly
that they may seem the taints of liberty, the flash and outbreak of a fiery mind, a
savageness in unreclaimed blood, of general assault. (ln 30-36, Polonius)
This quote helps to characterize Polonius. Usually he seems like a long-winded old man,
but now the audience sees that he is clever and manipulative as well. He is sending
Reynaldo to find out what Laertes has been up to but instead of finding out directly,
Polonius wants Reynaldo to say things about Laertes to other people to see how they
react. This roundabout way of tricking people into telling the truth shows how conniving
Polonius really is and how he is not someone to be trifled with.

b. 1. Why does Polonius have to know what Laertes is up to?

Polonius is probably prideful as the lord chamberlain and doesnt want a son that
wastes his time and becomes a disgrace. He wants to check up on Laertes to make
sure he isnt doing anything that could ruin his own reputation. It could also be
that he cares about his son and wants him to have a good future, so he is making
sure he is keeping up on his studies and not goofing off.
2. How did Polonius come up with this idea?
3. How does Reynaldo feel about all this?
He is probably uncomfortable with sneaking around and trying to find out what
Laertes is up to the way Polonius tells him to. Maybe he thinks it would be a
better idea to just spy on Laertes instead of doing what Polonius says and to
indirectly ask about him; Polonius is, as usual, making things more complicated
than they need to be.
4. Hamlet is feigning madness when he goes to see Ophelia, but could he also be upset
that Ophelia is no longer seeing him?
5. Why does Polonius feel it necessary to tell Claudius and Gertrude about his theory on
Hamlets madness?

Polonius is vain and seeks praise so he probably wants to tell them to boast of his
wisdom. He wants to appear smarter than he really is so he tells them in a long
and roundabout way.

Scene ii-a

a.

f.

j.

At such a time Ill loose my daughter to him. Be you and I behind an arras then. Mark
the encounter. If he love her not, and be not from his reason falln thereon, Let me be no
assistant for a state, but keep a farm and carters. (ln 178-183, Polonius)
This quote is significant because it is developing the rising action and the progression of
the plot. Polonius is so sure that he is right on his insight about Hamlets madness that he
is willing to bet his position on it. This foreshadows that when they spy on him, things
will not go well.

Scene ii-b

e.

g.

i.

You were sent for, and there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties
have not craft enough to color. I know the good King and Queen have sent for you. (ln
294-297, Hamlet)
Hamlets observation here proves that he is not mad, or at least not completely. He is able
to figure out through the expressions of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they are
deceiving him and he is able to correctly infer what they are hiding from him. A mad man
probably wouldnt be able to do that. This allows the audience to know that Hamlet isnt
really mad, he is only acting.