Themes:
Communication
Spying
Artifice
Performance
Madness
Scene I: We are farther ahead in time now by several weeks. We find Polonius bribing a fellow named Reynaldo some cash to spy on his son, Laertes, who is away at school in Paris. He cautions Reynaldo to be cautious, and to slyly bring up the subject by way of conversation with those who might know Laertes. Meantime, Ophelia comes in flustered, going on about how Hamlet had just been to see her while she sat sewing in her chamber. He was all disheveled: his stockings were "fouled" and sagging at the ankles, his shirt was open--in Elizabethan times this look was recognized as his being anguished over love. In truth, Hamlet didn't say much, he only grabbed her by the wrists, dragging her hand the length of his arm and her other hand over his brow and let out a long, anguished sigh. This they believed was the behavior of the anguished lover, indeed. Ophelia convinces her father that she is, indeed, still chaste, and Polonius resolves to take the matter to the King.
In truth, Hamlet has begun his charade of madness. Those around him aren't sure whether he's in earnest, if this is some case of melancholia (a malady thought to be real back then and responsible for such behavior) or perhaps he's bluffing--but no one just steps up and asks.
Scene II:
Claudius has notice his nephew's strange behavior. So, in the tradition of hiring someone to spy on your children, Gertrude and Claudius call on Hamlet's old school friends, Rosencrantz and Gildenstern, to talk to Hamlet and find out what they can, then deliver that news back to the royals.
An interesting note: While the two emissaries are about to enter, Gertrude, in a private conversation with her new husband, acknowledges the "real" reason behind Hamlet's madness:
"I doubt it is no other but the main;
His father's death and out o'erhasty marriage." (lines 56-7).
Yet, no more is said on the matter.
Meanwhile, Voltimand and Cornelius return from their errand in Norway. Claudius has been fearful that young Prince Fortinbras will declare war and reclaim the lands Claudius won in a bet. However, it turns out Claudius's fears were unjustified. Then once that is settled, everyone turns their attentions back to Hamlet, whom they have diagnosed with love-sickness for Ophelia. Hence begins Polonius's ironic address:
"This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night night, and time is time
Where nothing but to waste night, day and time.
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief. Your noble son is mad:
Mad call I it: for, to define true madness,
What is't but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go." (lines 85-94
To prove his point, Polonius reads from some saucy love letters Hamlet sent to her. The royals and Polonius plan to set the two young lovers up in a situation that will reveal the truth of Hamlet's condition--the young prince has acquired the habit of pacing manically in the lobby each day, so they all decide to choose that spot to reunite the kids.
As it happens, Polonius and Hamlet have a dialogue in Ophelia's absence. Hamlet trades some loaded words with Polonius, insinuates him as a 'fishmonger,' (or pimp), and wishes aloud that Polonius could be so "honest a man." Hamlet then cautions him not to let his daughter out into the sun, for the sun will breed maggots in a dead dog, so it will breed in Ophelia's womb. Yep. Insulting.
By now you might have picked up on the theme of spying: it appears that almost everyone, particularly Polonius, is tip-toeing around corners and listening in on conversations. It would seem that Polonius thinks of himself as a trusted insider as Lord Chamberlain of the castle, but could it be that his fawning is mere performance to make inroads with the royal house?
Then there is the artifice of Hamlet's performance of madness. How does his performance address the performances going on around him--particularly the double entendre he issues at Polonius and others, the asides and soliloquies that suggest his true feelings.
Enter Rosencrantz and Gildenstern, friends of Hamlet's from way back. Even though he seems softened by their appearance, Hamlet will not tell them what he's up to, or what's happened to trigger his charade of madness. He only asks them why they've been sent. Before long a troupe of actors appears and Hamlet has a telling interaction with one of the players, when he asks that the player recite the Murder of Priam from the Aeneid. While Polonius yawns and balks, Hamlet has a realization or two.
First, the narrative of Priam's death bears a great deal of similarity to what just happened here. Perhaps a play is the thing to catch the conscience of the king. After a long soliloquy in which he chastises himself for doing nothing but speech making (and balking at that player for getting all teary-eyed over Hecuba), Hamlet resolves to stage a play, the Murder of Gonzago, in which true events will be depicted, along with a short monologue Hamlet will pen just for the occasion.
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