Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Hamlet Act II Blog- Due December 10th

1. Based on what he does during Act II, how would you characterize Polonius?


2. During his conversations with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Act II Sc ii, Hamlet describes his perceptions of reality? In your own words, describe Hamlet's worldview? Are you an optimist, pessimist, or a realist? Why?

3. Is Polonius justified in how he plans to use Ophelia to find more about Hamlet?


4. At this point in the play, do you think Hamlet is really crazy or his he pretending to be insane? How does Hamlet act differently when he's around people and when he's giving soliloquies by himself i.e. end of Act II?


5. Why do you think Hamlet's so attracted to the theater/acting? Why do you think he uses the play as a way to test his theory? Is Hamlet right be angry at himself for not acting on the ghost's words? Why?


6. Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wrong for spying on Hamlet? Why or why not? How do you think Hamlet feels after they admit they were sent for by the Queen and King?

5 comments:

Joshua said...

1. Polonius is not trustworthy of his son, or beyond that, anyone. He has sent Reynaldo to basically spy on his son Laertes after giving his son instructions and advice. Second, he is using his poor daughter, Ophelia, as bait as he spys on Hamlet to find out if his theory of why Hamlet has become lunatic is true.

2. Hamlet is a pessimist. He believes that the world is against him. He speaks so negatively about the world. He says that world is a bad place and is not suited for him. I am a optimist. I believe that if you stay positive, you will have a better life. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone does not face trouble in their life, they do. The main point is how you respond to the trouble and I think you should respond to it in a positive way.

3. Polonius is justified in how he plans to use Ophelia to find out more about Hamlet.

4. I think that Hamlet is starting to become a little bit crazy. What is propelling him to act in this strange behavior is the ghost of his father telling him that Claudius killed him and Hamlet is still trying to figure out if he is telling the truth. When Hamlet is around people, he is very witty and makes insults. When he is alone, he feels that the world does not love him. He feels alone and is always in despair.

5. Hamlet is so attracted to the theater/acting because he can express his feelings while being a different character. I think he really wants to know if the ghost of his father is telling him the truth.

6. No, however, they shouldn't have lied to Hamlet in the first place when Hamlet asked them why they are there at Elsinore. They care about Hamlet and want to know if he is alright. Hamlet now does not trust anyone.

Drew said...

1. Polonius is very snoopy and untrusting.

2. He says the world is a prison, and you can portray the world as you see it. I am between a optimist and realist.

3. Yes because if it works then he can get more information.

4. I think he really is insane. he acts normal by himself but being around people may irritate him.

5. Because he doesn't like his own world. To show that you can do whatever you want. He is mad that he didnt act on the ghost words.

6. Yes, because that isnt their business. he would feel betrayed.

brock reynoldson said...

1. i would say that polonius is very conniving and he is very controlling and a very shady character.

2. In his conversation he says that things that once made him happy now he just hates them and hates life. I am a realist/optimist, i always wish for the best but at the same time i know the chances of things happening and i know how things usually work out.

3. Its his daughter so i think that if she is willing to be a pawn in polonius plan that it is justified.

4. i think that he is faking it and when he talks to himself he seems very normal and he just puts on a show for other people so that they think that he is going crazy.

5. I think that he loves the plays because he can be anyone or feel anyway he wants to in a play and in real life he is always a thinker and never a do'er. He uses the play to test Claudius to make him feel guilty about killing his father. Yes because he thinks that it is his fathers ghost and when he cant bring himself to do something for his dead father he is very angry with himself.

6. If they really were his friends they should of just asked him instead of spying on him. I think that he feels betrayed by everyone when he finds out that the king and queen sent them to spy on him.

McKenna Moyes said...

1) He's too controlling. He's not a very good guy. He's a snoop.

2) He is very depressed and is a pessimist. He thinks that everyone and the world is against him. He thinks of Denmark as a prison. I am an optimist and a realist because I hope for the best and look on the upside of things, but then I'm a realist because I look at some situations at how i know they will come out and how it will be instead of hoping for the best and just knowing how it will be.

3) No, not really because it's only good for him and not really good for anyone else.

4) I think he is a little crazy but then it seems at times that he is just faking it. Such as when he went to Ophelia and appeared depressed and in a daze, i think he was just putting on a show for her and trying to get attention. But then again seeing your father's ghost may cause you to seem a little crazy.

5) I believe that he likes the theatre because he can be who ever he wants to be and let out his emotions through the characters he portrays. I think he's upset because he hasn't done the one last request of his father yet.

6) Yes they are wrong for doing that but they admitted to doing it. They are really flat characters and they are basically one person. I think Hamlet thinks of them being sneaky and doesn't really care for them.

Unknown said...

1. Polonius controls everything, wants to know everything around.
2. Hamlet is a pessimist and he sees the world like it is a bad thing. I am a optimist.
3. Yes he is justified if his daughter doesn't care
4. I think he is truly insane.
5. Because he likes to see whats true and whats reality. No, he is not right because he doesn't know if the ghost is telling the true.
6. They are wrong for spying on them because they are friends. Hamlet must feel really bad to realize that his real friends, that he thought were his friends, were spying on him.