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  • Essay / Reflecting on Act 2 of Shakespeare's Hamlet

    When I read the segments of Act 2, I am reminded of a deep political conspiracy in Elsinore. I felt like there was a play in the play when Polonius invades to spy on Laertes through Reynaldo, and that Claudius and Gertrude were designed to spy on Hamlet. And I'm confused that this whole setup was about fooling each other with hilarious lexes in Elsinore. I was left in a state of skidding, when the entire Act 2 scene changed its tone from spy filler to wild, witty wordplay, and only Hamlet had the sway of the game while the other characters were in their own state of mind. However, suggestively and significantly, these maneuvers are described as very clumsy, even reckless. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Polonius's commands to Reynaldo are so spiritually manifold and so evasively associated that he loses his way in a single argument. Then his plan for recounting his pronounced discovery of Hamlet's broken heart in the second act is not superior. “Brevity is the soul of wit,” he says. This turns out to be the second illustration of Polonius observing one of Shakespeare's most illustrious and decontextualized traits; and it then seems to be anything but ephemeral, anything but fun. This act begins by establishing the atmosphere of political conspiracy in Elsinore. Polonius plots to spy on Laertes by employing Reynaldo; Claudius and Gertrude plot to spy on Hamlet via Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; Norway foils Fortinbras' plot to invade Denmark, then aids him in an adventure against Poland. It seems that everyone in Elsinore is plotting against everyone. We have seen it a little, he is gloomy, capricious, vain, ostentatious, embellished – and moreover, more precisely, completely deceived. As in the previous scene, Polonius naturally dreams of himself as a politically conscious prodigious mind. We could ask to differ. Interestingly, I don't understand why Claudius, excessively, displays astonishing political absurdity in believing in the espionage of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two rather prankster companions whom Hamlet sees instantly. Likewise, the Norwegian affair openly reveals Claudius' dull makeup; he acted in an organized manner to agree to tolerate that Fortinbras, who a few days earlier had intended to take control of his rule, crosses Denmark to defeat Poland. I can equate this to letting Canada cross the United States to administer Mexico. In other words, the entire storyline makes no sense, either intentionally or technically. Seeing the perspective, I can predict that Claudius and Polonius, despite their attempted Machiavellian state lords, are certainly and reasonably at risk. I appreciate the character and the author of the second act where Hamlet, finally, found his role. I admire the turn the reading takes when Hamlet changes tone in a large and wild way. His language proves seductive, full of desolate witticisms, fertile gags and concise and robust annotations – an absolute mastery. His play on words with Polonius, for example, dazzlingly depicts the concept of “method in madness”. Furthermore, Hamlet portrays the character of the dark fool virtually, while Polonius is a gullible spectator. I enjoyed the role expressively as Hamlet plays with Polonius, letting the old fool continue to think about what he is hungry for. I felt thoughtful amusement when ?.