Carli- Act 2 Key Passages and Personal Response

Scene 2.1 76-121
This section of passages was important because it gives a deeper look at Polonius and Ophelia's relationship. Ophelia goes straight to her father with news about Hamlet, the specific person he forbade her to see. This either tells us that she is extremely close with her father and respects him no matter what the consequences, even though she loves Hamlet; or that she is that worried about Hamlet that she felt desperate in order to get him help and save him. Polonius's response is surprising and important as well. He feels guilty that he forbid their love and takes responsibility for Hamlet's grief. He thought Hamlet was around Ophelia for the wrong reasons, but now he realizes that he really did love her. So his intentions in the beginning were right as a loving but controlling father. This gives the reader more respect for Polonius than he first aquired. This is all ironic too because he feels so guilty and thinks he's responsible for Hamlets grief, when there are so many other things that are responsible for his sadness and depression. Their so obvious but no one seems to understand or get that his fathers death and his mother and uncles wedding would be traumatizing. Everyone is so oblivious.

Scene 2.2 549-606
This passage is extremely significant because this is the first time Hamlet snaps out of his depression. This is when he really starts to take in consideration what his fathers ghost told him about getting revenge. Hamlet admits to moping around and needs to man up and take vengeance on his uncle. He is going to do this by the play that involves a murder. He wants yet another hint at if his uncle really did murder his father. He believes the ghost completely, he just wants visual proof to further persuade his revenge.

Personal Response
I didn't enjoy this act as much as I did the first act. It wasn't as eventful in my opinion. I got a little bored when Hamlet was talking to the players and Polonius. One thing I did love was how the act ended with Hamlets plan to reveal his uncles guilty conscious. It built up suspense and left me curious to find out how the uncle reacts to the play. It showed for the first time the real hatred Hamlet has for his uncle now and reassurance that Hamlet is planning to follow through with the ghosts wishes.