Post by mbenoit on Oct 18, 2011 17:04:40 GMT -5
The characters in Act II of Hamlet are quick to resort to spying to find out information. It seems easier for them to spy and act secretly than to confront people firsthand. Polonius is one of the most sneaky characters within the play. He asked Reynaldo to spy on Laertes, his son, while he is in France. Polonius wants to know exactly what his son is doing, even though he should not really care. Polonius does not have a good reason to spy on his son, he just wants to know everything. "You shall do marvelous wisely, good Reynaldo, before you visit him, to make inquire of his behavior." (Lines 3-5). Polonius wants Reynaldo find out if Laertes has been drinking, swearing, fist fighting, or gambling (Lines 24-26). I think that Polonius's sneakiness will play a large part in the remainder of the play. King Claudius and Queen Gertrude also resorted to spying to find out more about Hamlet. They ask Hamlet's friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to find out what is wrong with him and what he is thinking. "By your companies to draw him on to pleasures and to gather, so much as from occasion you may glean, whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus." (Lines 14-17). Claudius and Gertrude say they are concerned about Hamlet, but they choose to spy on him instead of asking him. This spying and sneakiness will lead to more problems throughout the novel. If they are not receiving firsthand information there may be troubles as to what the truth they are finding is. I think this patter of sneakiness will continue throughout the rest of the play.