While Hamlet's out talking to spirits and vowing revenge on his uncle, other intrigues are taking place within the castle. Seems no one can trust his parents in Denmark.
Picture it: Polonius's house. Polonius enters with his assistant Reynaldo, and they sit down for a chit-chat. Polonius wants Reynaldo to spy on Laertes while he's at school, and, maybe even stir up a few vicious rumors about his son's reputation. Reynaldo agrees to take the money Polonius gives him to Laertes, and then dig up any dirt he can on Junior.
Ophelia suddenly bursts in, hysterical about something Hamlet just did. According to her story, Hamlet burst into her chamber while she was sewing away. He was disheveled and looked crazy. He fell to his knees and studied her face; but then, without a word and keeping his eyes fixed on her, he made his exit. Polonius concludes that Hamlet is afflicted with "melancholy": or rather, what we would call "love sickness." This melancholy malady was taken quite seriously among the Elizabethans: according to scholars it was an illness men suffered over their ladyloves. This concept was upheld from the 14th to the 17th centuries. No kidding.
Polonius tries to comfort his daughter, expressing his previous fears that Hamlet might force himself on her. She asserts that all she did was follow Dad's instructions: "I did repel his letters and denied his access to me" (line 109).
Polonius drags her off to speak with the king about Hamlet.
Scene II:
Two more of Hamlet's school chums show up from Wittenberg: one Rosencrantz and one Guildenstern. They've been sent for by the king and queen to help figure out what is ailing Hamlet.
Meanwhile, Claudius's ambassadors have returned from their trip to see the Norwegian king. Seems the war's off. The current crown of Norway is too weary to go through with Fortinbras's yen to reclaim his father's lands.
Then Polonius shows up yammering about how he's figured out the cause of Hamlet's weird behavior: He's in love! And, he's got the letter to prove it. See pages 684-5 for the proof.
The king and queen are dubious; Polonius is affronted that they are dubious. Then Polonius hatches a plan: the three of them will hide behind an arras (a screen) in the lobby where Hamlet skulks and sulks. Polonius will dispatch his daughter into the room with him, and the three of them will spy on what comes next.
King and queen exit, Hamlet enters. He's already acting a bit goofy. Polonius greets him, asking Hamlet if he recognizes him, and Hamlet calls him a 'fishmonger'. This is not very nice, because he basically calls Polonius a pimp. One guesses by extension what he thinks of Ophelia. Then it gets worse.
Hamlet rambles on about the scarcity of honest men--and then starts on some nonsense about the sun breeding maggots in a dead dog "being a good kissing carrion" (piece of flesh). Then comes the line about Polonius's daughter, wherein he warns Polonius not to let her conceive, for it would be like the maggots in the dead dog scenario.
As the nutty conversation drags on, Hamlet insults the older man's age, and essentially calls him a fool. The animosity Hamlet shows to Polonius comes from the fact that the prince suspects Polonius of forcing Ophelia on him to 'get in good' with the royalty. Polonius gives up on getting any sense out of the prince so he bids him adieu. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern approach.
Hamlet is overjoyed at the sight of his two buddies, but then grows suspicious. "Have you been sent for?" he asks them. He finally beats a confession out of them (metaphorically) and then gradually, conveys in the bitterest terms, his discontent in one of the most oft-quoted passages in the play. See 689.
Hamlet's mood lightens just a little when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern peep up about some 'players' in town. There's some talk about whether or not children are included in the cast. Speaking of 'performances,' Hamlet lets fly covertly that his madness is just a front: "I am mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (line 347).
The players arrive and Hamlet is stoked. He entreats the main player fellow to recite a poem on the death of Priam. This is noteworthy, as Priam was slain by Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles. Pyrrhus hides out in the Trojan horse and kills the king to avenge the death of Achilles--this according to the Aeneid. Now a trend appears. Hamlet gets an idea that will really stick it to the king and queen: he'll stage a play (the Murder of Gonzago) that effectively dramatizes the whole killing-of-the-king-to-marry-the-queen scenario. This sparks another soliloquy (694).
"The play's the thing
wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king" (lines 559-60)
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