Act 2 scene 1 Flashcards
(11 cards)
Polonius’ instructions to Reynaldo - “Give him these money and these notes, Reynaldo.”
Scene begins with an imperative command from Polonius, which reflects his commanding nature
Polonius’ instructions to Reynaldo - “Before you visit him, to make enquire / Of his behaviour.”
Polonius’ obsession with surveillance and exerting control over his children, who cannot be independent from him; he seems them almost as an extension of himself to be manipulated and controlled
Polonius’ instructions to Reynaldo - “‘And, in part, him, but,’ you may say, ‘not well.’”
Use of imperatives to indicate how Polonius is obsessively controlling, going so far as to control even Reynaldo’s speech
Contrasts to when he told Laertes to “be true” to himself in A1.3. Polonius changes his advice and beliefs depending on the situation, emphasising his manipulative and scheming nature
Here, Polonius advises Reynaldo to strategically misrepresent himself and his knowledge of Laertes, and thus ascertain the truth by being false
Polonius’ instructions to Reynaldo - “You laying these slight sullies on my son” “drinking, swearing, / Quarreling, drabbing”
Reynaldo responds with “My lord, that would dishonour him” which provides an element of comic relief and perhaps diminishes the sinisterness of Polonius’ commands
Irony created as Polonius is very determined on protecting his reputation and advancing his social status, but doesn’t seem to realise that by dishonouring his son, he dishonours his own name and himself too
Asyndetic listing of potential flaws reflects how relentless Polonius is in the extents that he would go to spy on his son
Ophelia - “O my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted!”
Ophelia enters in an emotional frenzy, reflecting the stereotyped position of women as they are reduced to emotional creatures and are dependent on men
First figure that Ophelia goes to after her strange experience with Hamlet is her father. This could reflect her trust in him, but more likely is a comment on the female dependence on male figures in a society dominated by the patriarchal influence
Ophelia’s exposition - “in my closet” “doublet all unbraced” “no hat” “his stockings fouled” “ungartered” “down-gyved”
Prefix “un” reflects the impropriety of Ophelia’s encounter with Hamlet. He encroaches on her personal space, in a place where she will be isolated and alone, perhaps implying a sense of threat
He involves her in his pretense madness, reflecting his cruelty and manipulation of her, which is strengthened by the knowledge that Ophelia has genuine feelings for him
Hamlet weaponises Ophelia’s impressionability and innocence, as well as his relationship with her, for his own personal gain
Throughout the play, madness is often associated with the motif of clothing
Ophelia would have delivered her lines with a tremorous tone, indicating the fear elicited by the experience
Ophelia’s exposition - “Pale as his shirt” “knees knocking each other” “a look so piteous in purport” “As if he had been loosed out of hell”
The audience does not see Hamlet’s first act of pretense madness but rather it is reported, emphasising the surveillance state that has been created
Plosives and harsh consonance emphasise how Ophelia has been frightened and impressioned by her encounter with Hamlet
Simile “as if he had been loosed out of hell” has connotations of intense suffering and torment, perhaps alluding to the fact that there is some truth to Hamlet’s madness. If not, it makes his pretense all the more cruel
Ophelia’s exposition - “took me by the wrist” “held me hard” “shatter all his bulk / And end his being.”
Physical implications of Hamlet’s madness and the effect they have on Ophelia
Although Hamlet is pretending, perhaps some genuine affection towards Ophelia is evident
Performative elements of Hamlet’s actions are evident to the audience, creating dramatic irony
Polonius - “Come, go with me. I will go seek the King.”
Imperative verbs “come” and “go” reflects how Polonius is a domineering and merciless parental figure
Polonius’ first reaction to Ophelia’s account is to see the king instead of comfort or console her
Further reinforces Polonius’ use of his children to advance himself in Claudius’ favour by providing him with a reasoning for Hamlet’s madness
Polonius - “This is the very ecstasy of love, / Whose violent property fordoes itself / And leads the will to desperate undertakings / As oft as any passion under heaven / That does afflict our natures.”
Polonius’ words eerily foreshadow Ophelia’s descent into madness and eventual suicide
Juxtaposition of “ecstasy” and “violent” portrays the duality of love, which is reflected in the play through the different perceptions of relationships in it. eg. Claudius and Gertrude’s marriage, Ophelia and Hamlet’s relations
Hyperbolic simile “as oft as any passion under heaven” implies that love’s impact is not only profound, but also universal and unparalleled. This is evident throughout much of the play, as love influences many of the characters actions
Polonius - “This must be known; which, being kept close, might move / More grief to hide than hate to utter love. Come”
Polonius justifies his telling Claudius of this information by saying that it is more beneficial to share this information otherwise it will cause more “grief”
The scene begins and ends with Polonius giving an imperative command, which reflects how he attempts to exert his control over everything, emphasising his obsessive nature
