Act 2 Scene 2

Question 1

That it might please you to give quiet pass through your dominions for his enterprise, on such regards of safety and allowance.

Answer 1

Speaker: Voltimund speaking to Polonius
Context: Voltimund has just gotten back from Norway with a message: Norway wants to pass through Denmark to attack Poland.
Importance:
Shows that Claudius is stupid and not set for king, letting the enemy into his territory without a second thought
foreshadows a military attack either on poland, denmark or both

Question 2

Doubt thou the stars are fire; doubt that the sun doth move; doubt truth to be a liar; but never doubt I love. O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans; but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu. Thine evermore most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him. Hamlet

Answer 2

Speaker: Polonius reading Hamlet’s poem that he wrote for Ophelia to Claudius and Gertrude
Context: Polonius is trying to convince the King and Queen that the reason for Hamlet acting crazy is that he is madly in love with Ophelia.
Importance:
This poem seems to be the real Hamlet, not his antic disposition
This poem also acts as a warning to Ophelia by saying that no matter what happens, just know that he loves her
“This machine” is referring to his mind/mental state (he will love her as long as he is sane). Foreshadowing something to go awry in their relationship because Hamlet will go insane

Question 3

Take this from this, if this be otherwise.

Answer 3

Speaker: Polonius.
Context: Polonius is telling the King and Queen that he is wrong about Hamlet’s love for Ophelia driving him insane, that they can kill him.
Importance:
This is foreshadowing Polonius’s death
Dramatic irony because the audience knows he is wrong

Question 4

At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him.

Answer 4

Speaker: Polonius.
Context: Polonius is deriving a plan in order to prove to the King and Queen that Hamlet is crazy because of his love for Ophelia.
Importance:
Characterizes Polonius as a bad father since he talks about his daughter like she is a farm animal.
using ophelia as a pawn to his plan- bad father once again

Question 5

Excellent well; you are a fishmonger.

Answer 5

Speaker: Hamlet speaking to Polonius.
Context: Polonius wants to talk to Hamlet in order to investigate the reason for his craziness.
Importance:
The double meaning of the word fishmonger (either means a fish seller or pimp), therefore, Hamlet is calling Polonius a pimp without him even realizing.
The fact that Hamlet is calling Polonius a pimp suggests that he has been listening to the conversations in the palace

Question 6

Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.

Answer 6

Speaker: Polonius talking to himself.
Context: Polonius is talking with Hamlet, while Hamlet is acting crazy.
Importance:
This is dramatic irony since the audience knows that Hamlet is not really crazy and knows what he is saying, but Polonius thinks Hamlet is crazy and is accidentally saying smart things.

Question 7

How pregnant sometimes his replies are!

Answer 7

Speaker: Polonius
Context: Polonius is talking to Hamlet about Ophelia
Importance:
Ophelia is having sex and might be pregnant?
Dropping some small truths behind all the crazyness

Question 8

Denmarks a prison / A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons, Denmark being one o’the worst.

Answer 8

Speaker: Hamlet speaking to rosin and guild
Context: The king and queen have asked Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to come visit Hamlet.
Importance:
Hamlet is saying that Denmark is a prison (another central idea of the play)
-He has to stay because Claudius and Gertrude asked him to, he cannot kill himself because he is religious, and he is trapped by birth to be king (has responsibilities), sworn to avenge his father, trapped in his own mind

Question 9

Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? It is your own inclining?

Answer 9

Speaker: Hamlet speaking to Rosen and Guild.
Context: The king and queen have asked Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to come visit Hamlet. ( hamlet asking R&G why theyre really there- hes onto them)
Importance:
Hamlet already knowing why they are there is further evidence that he has been listening to all the conversations in the palace.
Shows Hamlet’s confidence and arrogance.
Hamlet is scratching the surface the uncover what things really are in the state of Denmark
Demonstrates Hamlet’s ability to “flip” very quickly.

Question 10

Berattle the common stages, - so they call them, - that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose quills, and dare scarce come hither.

Answer 10

Speaker: Rosen speaking to Hamlet.
Context: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are telling Hamlet about the players who no longer have their own showing place, now they have to pack up and move from show to show.
Importance:
Shakespeare is discussing the reality of plays at the time: the nobility is now scared of writers because the new acting style is satirical therefore they will be made fun of.
Hamlet is the quill (the writers) and Claudius is the rapiers (nobility).
The players, in this case, are a tragedy act, therefore tragedy is literally coming to Denmark (foreshadowing)

Question 11

I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handshaw.

Answer 11

Speaker: Hamlet speaking to Rosen and Guild.
Context: He is telling them that he is not really crazy, only acting crazy.
Importance:
More evidence to the theme that nothing is as it seems in Denmark.
He tells Rosen this which shows he’s confident in himself

Question 12

If you call me Japhthah, my Lord, I have a daughter that I love passing well / O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou!

Answer 12

Speaker 1: Polonius
Speaker 2: Hamlet
Speaker: Hamlet speaking to Polonius.
Context: Hamlet, Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are all on their way to go see the players that have just arrived.
Importance:
Hamlet’s mention of Jepthtah refers to Polonius since Jepthtah sacrificed his daughter, (reinforcing the idea that Polonius is pimping out his daughter.)
Shows that hamlet knows what’s going on despite acting crazy (shows plan is working- dramatic irony)

Question 13

‘Twas caviare to the general.

Answer 13

Speaker: Hamlet
Context: Hamlet is telling the players how much he loves the play, even though the general does not understand its deeper meaning.
Importance:
Shakespeare is referring to his play “Hamlet” which is too complicated for a lot of the general as well.
Demonstrates Hamlet’s arrogance and characterizes him as an intellectual snob.

Question 14

Takes prisoner Pyrrhus’ ear: for, lo! His sword, which was declining on the milky head of reverend Priam, seem’d i’ the air to stick

Answer 14

Speaker: First player.
Context: The first player is continuing from Hamlet’s performance of an episode of the Trojan War.
Importance:
Demonstrates that Hamlet is starting to get disgusted with himself that he has not killed Claudius yet so he is looking to Pyrrhus (because he killed Priam as revenge for the death of his father).

Question 15

O’erteemed loins

Answer 15

Speaker: First Player
Context: Player continuing Hamlet’s performance
Importance:
This refers to Gertrude because Hamlet believes his mother to be easy.
o’erteemed = worn out with childbearing

Question 16

You could, for a need, study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines, which I would set down, and insert in’t, could you not?

Answer 16

Speaker: Hamlet asking the first player to insert his own 16 lines into the play
Context: The players will be doing the play called the Murder of Gonzago (a play where a man kills someone then marries his wife)
Importance:
Hamlet is happy that the players are there, he is trying to catch Claudius reacting to the play to prove he was the murderer of his father
Hamlet’s plan to insert 16 lines of his own into the play

Question 17

What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba That he should weep for her? What would he do, had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have?

Answer 17

Speaker: Hamlet speaking to himself
Context: Hamlet is finally alone after just welcoming the players into the palace and devising his plan to see if Claudius is really guilty of the murder of King Hamlet.
Importance:
How first player is more moved from fiction than Hamlet is to his true life
Hamlet calls himself a loser for still not having done anything, his fatal flaw being procrastination
Hamlet is disgusted with himself for not acting on his revenge.

Question 18

The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king

Answer 18

Speaker: Hamlet to himself in his soliloquy
Context: Hamlet is saying that the play will be the thing that will make the king realize
Importance:
Hamlet wants to catch Claudius in the act.
Foreshadowing that the play with cause a reaction from claudius
soon Hamlet will be able to confirm if the ghost was right or not