"Hamlet" Act 2: Lovers and spies

Quiz

Find out who says the following lines in Act 1, to whom and what they are about:

1. "What art thou that usurp'st this time of night...?" (1.1)
2. "This above all - to thine own self be true" (1.3)
3. "O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain" (1.5)
4. "O cursed spite/That ever I was born to set it right" (1.5)
5. "My lord, he hath importuned me with love" (1.3)
6. "O Hamlet, what a falling off was there!" (1.5)
7. "Good Hamlet, cast thy nightly colour off" (1.2)
8. "Now sir, young Fortinbras,/Of unimproved mettle hot and full" (1.1)
9. "And in the morn and liquid dew of youth/Contagious blastments are most imminemt" (1.3)
10. "Angels and ministers of grace defend us!" (1.4)

Be prepared to explain your ideas to the class.

"Hamlet" Act 2

Act 2 is divided into five sections:

1. Polonius the diligent father?
2. Who are Rosencranz and Guildenstern?
3. Hamlet’s Love Letter
4. My excellent good friends!
5. Hamlet and the Players

This week we will concentrate on the first half of Act Two, in particular on the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia and on the role of his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Reading the script and responding to the Brannagh production

We will read together Act Two Scene One lines 73 to the end of the scene and the first 220 lines of Scene Two to the point at which Polonius leaves the stage. After reading and watching Brannagh's production make notes on these questions:

1. How is Hamlet portrayed in this part of the script?
2. What about Ophelia?
3. How is their relationship explored indirectly?
4. What do we learn about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
5. How are the king and queen portrayed here at the start of Act Two?

Homework

1. Summarise the first Act of Hamlet scene by scene.
2. summarise what you have learned about the relationships between Hamlet and Ophelia, Polonius and Ophelia, and Hamlet and the King and Queen (his uncle and mother).

Image: Hamlet and Ophelia from Brannagh's production.