Active Reading Journal: "Hamlet" Act II

In Act II Scene I we have Polonius enter with his servant Reynaldo. Polonius asks Reynaldo to go deliver some letters for him and he tells Reynaldo to get some gossip from whoever they are delivering letters to. Once Reynaldo leaves Ophelia enters scared, she tells of how she was sewing and Hamlet came into the room looking distraught, and he held her tight, but she backed away a bit. He eventually let her go and left. Polonius suggests that the boy is love crazy and threatens to tell the King about what happened. Ophelia objects but Polonius is determined and they set off to go see the King.

Polonius and Hamlet

In Act II Scene II Claudius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter the room. Claudius and Gertrude discuss with them how highly their son thinks of them, and sends them off to find Hamlet in the chance it might make him feel better. After they have left the room Polonius enters he tells Claudius that he thinks he knows why Hamlet has gone crazy, but first he will let the ambassadors speak to the King. The ambassadors bring good news and leave. Polonius then begins to speak about how he thinks Hamlet is crazy. He reads the letter that Hamlet sent Ophelia about how he loves her. Polonius then says:

"And my young mistress thus I did bespeak:

“Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star.

This must not be.” And then I prescripts gave her,

That she should lock herself from his resort,

Admit no messengers, receive no tokens.

Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;

And he, repelled—a short tale to make—

Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,

Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,

Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension,

Into the madness wherein now he raves

And all we mourn for." (Act II, Scene II. 131 - 143)

The King and Queen then discuss if this may be the reason Hamlet is acting funny. Hamlet enters and Polonius talks with him. Polonius figures that there is a "method to his madness". Once Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enters Polonius leaves and Hamlet perks up a bit. They have a discussion and Polonius enters again to bring news that the actors have come, Hamlet does not like Polonius much at this point and basically says that he is a big baby and he still wears diapers. Hamlet instructs the actors to do a reenactment of his fathers death (they don't know that's what it is though).  After everyone leaves Hamlet then again performs a soliloquy.