William Shakespeare Group

Question:

nayems
nayems
Teacher
High School - 11th Grade

Broadly describe what conclusion the king and the queen draw about the madness of Hamlet.

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Posted by nayems on Thursday April 9, 2009 at 5:49 AM and tagged with hamlet, william shakespeare.

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  1. luannw Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    In Act 2, sc. 2, Polonius comes to Claudius and Gertrude with the announcement that he knows what is bothering Hamlet. Prior to his announcement though, Gertrude says that she thinks what is bothering Hamlet is "His father's death and our hasty marriage."  Polonius says, based on the letters he read from Hamlet to Ophelia and on what Ophelia told him about Hamlet's actions, that Hamlet is love-sick.  He says all of Hamlet's actions can be explained because of his unrequited love for Ophelia.  Polonius had told Ophelia, in Act 1, sc. 3, that she was to cut off her relationship and all contact with Hamlet.  Polonius felt that Hamlet was only using her and that when Hamlet inevitably ended the relationship, Ophelia would be tainted and the family would be embarrassed.  Gertrude doesn't seem entirely convinced, but she is relieved and in Act 3, sc. 1, tells Ophelia that she hopes Hamlet's problems truly do stem from his love for her.  Claudius is eager to embrace this idea, but he wants proof.  For this reason, he and Polonius hide, in Act 3, sc. 1, and plan to have Ophelia return to Hamlet the letters he wrote to her while they watch the interaction between the two.  This sets up the famous scene where Hamlet ponders aloud about life and death in the "To be or not to be" soliloquy.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/act-ii-scene-1-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/act-ii-scene-2-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/act-iii-scene-1-summary-anal...

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    Posted by luannw on Thursday April 9, 2009 at 6:01 AM

  2. elfgirl
    elfgirl Student
    College - Freshman

    A conclusion is a final summarising thought; so I suppose the king concludes that Hamlet is a wild and dangerous lunatic who just stuck a poisoned sword into his stomach.

    The Queen, as she chokes on poison, probably concludes that her son was right, not mad, and she married a murderer who is trying to poison her son. 

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    Posted by elfgirl on Thursday April 9, 2009 at 6:53 AM


  3. jillyfish Student
    Doctorate

    The Queen concludes this reason for Hamlet's strange behaviour...

    QUEEN: I doubt it is no other but the main,
    His father's death and our o'erhasty marriage. (Act II Scene II)

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    Posted by jillyfish on Thursday April 9, 2009 at 7:26 AM