Question

Read the excerpt below and answer the question. HAMLET: Denmark's a prison. ROSENCRANTZ: Then is the world one. HAMLET: A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards and dungeons, Denmark being one o' the worst. ROSENCRANTZ: We think not so, my lord. HAMLET: Why, then, 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so: to me it is a prison. ROSENCRANTZ:Why then, your ambition makes it one; 'tis too narrow for your mind. HAMLET: O God, I could be bounded in a nut shell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams. (Act II, scene ii) Write an essay that compares Hamlet’s interactions with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to his conversations with Polonius in act 2. Note Hamlet's state of mind in the interactions with each, as well as the tone of his conversations. Your answer should be at least 250 words.

Answer 1

Hamlet feels Denmark is a prison, highlighted in his discussions with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which are somber and metaphysical. His tone with Polonius is more mocking, using his wit as a defense mechanism. Both interactions underscore Hamlet's sense of entrapment and his troubled state of mind.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hamlet's interaction with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern showcases his complex state of mind, which fluctuates between corrosive wit and profound melodic despair. In the excerpt provided, Hamlet proclaims Elsinore incarceration, equating the entire kingdom of Denmark to a panopticon Hamlet, indicating his feeling of being continuously watched and judged. The tone of this interaction is one of veiled criticism and a mournful consideration of his constrained condition, which is both literal and metaphysical; an Elsinore jail as much as a prison of his existential musings.

Comparatively, his conversations with Polonius in Act 2 are filled with a sharp, mocking tone, rife with feigned madness used to deflect and confuse Polonius. Hamlet's intellect here operates as a shield, parrying the invasive questions and controlling the flow of conversation. His state of mind when dealing with Polonius is less debilitated than with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, as he still exercises a kind of control, his acumen making a fool of Polonius. However, the overarching theme of being trapped—whether by duty, deception, or destiny—permeates all his interactions, reflecting a psyche fraught with the pressures of avenging his father's death, his disillusionment with his mother's actions, and the unrelenting gaze of the court.

Answer 2

In his interaction with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet is ironical, but it's not personal. Whereas he doesn't agree with their worldview, he still isn't resentful towards them. He just makes fun of their narrowmindedness, implying that they are the ones who are trapped in a nutshell and can't transcend their limitations. He knows that Claudius had sent for them, but doesn't take them too seriously. He obviously thinks that their behavior is just another instance of human frailty.

On the other hand, he already openly resents Polonius, and is being sardonic in all of their interactions. He enjoys confusing him with complicated logical and language twists, mocking his stupidity, hypocrisy, and sycophancy. While not understanding most of Hamlet's poignant remarks, Polonius still realizes that "there is method" in his madness. "A happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of," observes Polonius, dismissing all the allusions and invectives. Hamlet ridiculed Polonius for his overbearing fatherly protectivity towards Ophelia and the fact that old age hasn't brought him any wisdom.