Hamlet - Act 2 - Characters

Hamlet - Act 2 - Characters

1. Polonius

   • Loyal to the throne
   • Deceitful and cunning
   • Dogmatic and self-opinionated
   • Sends Reynaldo to spy on his son. Allows him to sully the reputation of him
   • Speeches have little substance - everything is in black and white
   • Pretentious
   • Stoops to gain favour from Claudius
   • Prepared to spy on Hamlet and use his daughter as a decoy
   • Loves to hear himself talk
   • Likes to air his knowledge in company of others

2. Reynaldo

   • Servant to Polonius
   • Spying on Laertes

3. Ophelia

   • Deals with Hamlet's madness with dignity
   • Young and innocent
   • Docile, timid and gentle
   • Not like her brother or father

4. Claudius

   • Unscrupulous about spying
   • Uses Rosencratnz and Guildernstern and permits Polonius to spy on Hamlet
   • Ruthless
   • Fond of drink, carousing and merriment

5. Queen

   • Does know her own son. She knew why he was melancholic

6. Guildenstern and Rosencrantz

   • Childhood friends to Hamlet
   • Betray friendship by standing by Claudius
   • Self-seeking, flatter King to gain favour
   • Little moral sense
   • Disloyal to Hamlet

7. Hamlet

   • Not naturally of a gloomy disposition, he's active and cheerful
   • Friendly and hospitable to friends and players, but mood changes around King, Queen and courtiers
   • At ease and mixes well around new people
   • Beset by his doubts
   • Torn by decision, self reproach
   • Anger towards Claudius
   • Meditations long and complex, usually dominated by passion
   • Criticises himself for being "John-a-dreams", doing nothing
   • Verbalises emotions accurately
   • Antic dispostition - Alternates between weary apathy and sudden outburst of passion, deep mediation and bitter mockery (Sarcastic retorts)
   • Never loses contact with reality - enigmatic but not incoherent
   • Madness - ironic mockery