Notes on Hamlet 2.2

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: reinforce the motif of spying, Hamlet’s childhood friends

Voltemand: tells the king that Old king from Norway didn’t know what Fortinbras had been doing and told him not to attack Denmark but Poland. Old king Norway also asked if they could march through Denmark on a truce

Polonius: talks about nothing and blabbers on because he is trying to look smart and clever

The letter: reinforces the idea of spying.

By Hamlet loving Ophelia it puts Polonius in good light and opens his doors further by potentially becoming the Father in Law for the next king

Polonius: in his speeches he says that he is always right

Hamlet walks four hours for exercise

Polonius and Claudius way of finding out whether or not Hamlet actually loves Ophelia reinforces the idea of spying

Polonius is a fishmonger (pimp): reinforces the metaphor of prostitution

Lines 178 & 179 reinforces the theme of corruption
Line 181: the sun is Hamlet, and the sun can bring about bad things. Ophelia is the dead dog

Hamlet knows Polonius is the one who stopped Ophelia from seeing Hamlet
Common of Shakespeare of making fun of the obvious. Lines 191 & 191

Polonius is a fool
Line 206 & 207 “ how pregnant sometimes his replies are- metaphor
Lines 212- 214: Hamlet wants Polonius to leave

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are not at the top or bottom of fortune
Fortune: Plays men like pipes, she’s not faithful. You can’t rely on fortune. Reinforces the idea of prostitution

Line 240: “Denmark’s a Prison”: reinforces theme of corruption

*The idea that anything that happens or that is going on is neutral, it’s only good or bad if you think, look or interpret either way.

“ Bad dreams”- dreams about his dad/ the ghost
Lines 259- 260: without a desire for something by the common people, there would not be heroes or a monarch

Hamlet knows that Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are not there on their own inclining but was sent for by the king and queen to spy on Hamlet

Hamlets monologue backs up the idea of humanity
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Themes: Revenge- (spying)
Death
Humanity
Corruption or living in an unjust/ corrupt world- (denmark is a prison/ the world is one) (Prostitution)(spying)

*Prostitution: : fortune, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern)

*Spying: King and queen spying on Hamlet w/ Polonius and w/ R&G; Polonius spying on his son and on hamlet, on hamlet and his daughter; R&G; Hamlet spying on everyone by acting mad

*Garden: Hamlet- sun or sunlight or worm; Old King Hamlet- Sun God; Claudius- Serpent; Ophelia- Flower; Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern- weeds?;

*Dreams: dreams are but a shadow, Heros and kings are but the shadow of the lower class