Act 1 Scene 2,3,4

Scene 2


1. What is odd about Hamlet’s appearance in the opening of scene two?

He is dressed all in black. He is depressed and mourning the death of his father. He is also upset with his mother for getting remarried so quickly.



2. Explain (give at least two reasons) why Claudius needs to justify his marriage in the opening of scene two.

He needs to justify his marriage because he quickly married his brother's widow and his brother hasn't  been dead that long. He is the new king now and must pick up the kingly duties where his brother left off.



3. Laertes asks the King for leave to do what, specifically?


He wants to go back to France. He has come willing to Denmark to see the king's coronation, but wishes to return. 




4. Explain Hamlet’s insult when he says, “A little more than kin and less than kind.”

He is saying that his uncle is more related to him (being his father's brother and being married to his mother) than he is being kind. Claudius is trying to rationalize to Hamlet his reasons for marrying his mom and he thinks he has done Hamlet a favor because now he will take care of his mother as she grows old. 




Hamlet puns on the word 'kind'. He is mad at the King because he calls him son. Even though Claudius has married Hamlet's mother, he doesn't think of the King as his father and hates that Claudius acts so casually about the whole situation.


5. Explain Hamlet’s use of pun in the line, “Not so my lord, I am too much in the sun.”

He resents being called son by King Claudius. He doesn't like the fact the Claudius is casually throwing around the term 'son' because it wasn't to long ago that Claudius was his uncle.


6. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy it is obvious that what troubles him most is?

That his mother married not only his uncle, but she got married quickly after the King's death. He would consider suicide if there wasn't a religious law against it (sixth commandment is 'Thou shalt not kill').  He thinks his mother was weak and she was wrong in marrying a "satyr" when her first husband was like the sun god (Apollo?).  But because of the situation, he 'holds his tongue'.



7. What does Hamlet mean by the following lines:

“Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems’.
‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath,
No, nore the fruitful river in the eye,
Nor the dejected havior of the visage,
Together will all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
That can denote me truly. These indeed seem,
For they are actions that a man might play;
But I have that within which passes show,
These but the trappings and the suits of woe.



He is talking to his mother. He is angry with her because she asks him whats different about him (because he is dressed in black). He tells her that he is dressed in black because he is morning the death of his father. (Like she should be) The black clothes are just a hint of the grief he is feeling. He says that the way he is dressed and his mood may be cause for him to act out, but grief goes beyond outward appearance. 




Also starts the motif of Hamlet's obsession with the theater. 

8. What does Hamlet say about the baked meats and the funeral and the wedding.

The leftover food from the funeral was reserved cold at the wedding.


9. What news does Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo bring to Hamlet.


They have seen his dead father's ghost dressed in full armor!




Scene 3




1) What is Laertes advice to Ophelia?

To not get close to Hamlet because he lies about his feelings for her. Laertes also tells Ophelia that he is the prince, and has a duty to his country, therefor, he can't choose who he marries because it should be for the good of the country (like a peace pledge).


2) How does “The canker galls the infants of the spring/ too oft before their buttons be disclos’d” fit into the ideology of the decaying garden?
Canker = HamletFlower = Ophelia

Hamlet, the canker-worm, would destroy the garden, Ophelia. Hamlet will ruin Ophelia because he will take her virginity and then she would have to go the the nunnery (to be a nun or prostitute).


3) What analogy does Ophelia give to her brother as an answer to his advice? What does she mean?

"Do not as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven...And recks not his own rede" (lines 47-51)

She means, don't be a hypocrite and take your own advice! She hints that she knows his real reason for going back to France.



4) List five of the “few precepts” that Polonius gives to Laertes.


Be a good listener to everyone, but be careful what you share about yourself.


Be friendly enough, but don't make yourself cheap.


Don't shake hands (in friendship) with every fresh young man.
Listen to every man's opinion but save your judgment.

Dress nice, but don't spend all your money on fancy clothes


Think before you act, don't make any reckless decisions.


5) In lines 105-109, what is the metaphor that Polonius uses to describe Hamlet’s words of love?

He compares his words to tenders (the coin) but says the aren'y sterling. Polonius says Hamlet's love for Ophelia isn't real.




6) List and explain one metaphor found in the lines 115-135.
"When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul
Lends the tongue vows." (Lines 115-117)

By blood, Polonius means sexual passion. He tells Ophelia that sexual desires (lust) will make you say anything that the other person wants to hear, like Hamlet telling Ophelia he loves her. Basically he says that it was lust that made Hamlet tell Ophelia he loves her.




7) What is Polonius’ command to Ophelia?

To not see Hamlet anymore.



Scene 4




8) In scene 4, what is Hamlet talking about in lines 13-38?

Horatio asks Hamlet if it was a custom for the king to fire the cannons while he toasts. Hamlet says that it is, but he doesn't approve of this tradition. It makes other nations think the Danes are drunks which makes them look weak.






9) Why doesn’t Horatio want Hamlet to follow the ghost?

It may be a evil spirit, Horatio doesn't want Hamlet to talk to the ghost alone because demons sometimes posses people and convinces them to do bad things. (They still don't know for sure that the ghost is Hamlet's father)





10) What is Hamlet’s command to the three guards?


He tells them that he is going to talk to the ghost, alone. He tells them that they have to be ok with it because his life is not worth living so he is willing to talk to a ghost that might be evil.