Hamlet Act II Questions

Act 2, Scene 1:

1) What is Polonius's plan for Reynaldo?

2) How does Ophelia describe her encounter with Hamlet?

3) What does Polonius think is the cause of Hamlet's madness?

4) How does Polonius plan to use this information?

5) What instructions does Polonius give to Reynaldo about gathering information on Laertes?

Act 2, Scene 2:

1) Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern summoned to the court?

2) What is the purpose of the players' arrival at Elsinore?

3) What does Hamlet ask the players to do in the upcoming performance?

4) How does Hamlet plan to use the play to test Claudius's guilt?

5) What is Hamlet's famous soliloquy in this scene, and what does it reveal about his thoughts?

Act 2 Activity: Character Journal

Objective: Write a Journal entry from the perspective of a character in Act 2, to gain a deeper understanding of the character's thoughts, emotions, and motivations.

Instructions:

• Choose a character from Act 2.

• Imagine you are that character and write a diary entry about the events of Act 2 from their perspective.

• Include the character's thoughts, emotions, and motivations, as well as their reactions to other characters and events.

• Share your diary entry with a partner or in a small group, and discuss the similarities and differences between each other's entries.