DRJ #2

DRJ #2 Christina Putnam

Initial Reaction: My initial reaction to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern was that they truly cared about Hamlet, but as Act 2 went on my perception shifted. They were visiting Hamlet because they were ordered by the King, not because they cared about their friend. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern came to talk to Hamlet on the King's orders and they were willing “to be commanded” (2.2.32). I found it interesting how Hamlet could see through their act and pressed them to tell him why they really had come to visit him.

Character Analysis: The character Polonius can be characterized as the King's right hand man. He too cunning, deceitful, and loyal to the King. In fact, Polonius described how his brain “hunts the trail on policy,” which suggests he is politically cunning, in his dialogue with Claudius (2.2.47-48). He is the father of Ophelia and Laertes, and Polonius appears to misunderstands his daughter. He tries to give Ophelia advice about Hamlet and even resorts to trying to trap Hamlet into professing his love for Ophelia. Polonius thinks that Hamlet's insanity is cause by his love for his daughter, and he uses his daughter to spy on Hamlet.

Theme Analysis: Shakespeare uses irony to show how revenge is both the cause and result of death. Throughout the play, Hamlet struggles to avenge his father by seeking revenge on his murder (2.2.555-560). What is ironic, is that seeking revenge creates a never ending cycle of murders, which just adds to the death toll. Laertes seeks revenge on Hamlet for killing his father; however, Laertes ends up killing himself “with his own treachery” when he gets cut with the poisonous sword that was meant for Hamlet (5.2.309). Revenge is caused by death, and leads to nothing but more death.