English II Name Mr. Dodson Period Hamlet: Act II Date 1. In the opening of Act II, scene I, Polonius sends his servant, Reynaldo to France to spy on Laertes. During their discussion, Polonius tells Reynaldo, that by lying he shall discover the truth in the following comment: Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth. / And thus do we of wisdom and of reach Which literary device is used in the above quote? (L11.5) a. Paradox b. Satire c. Imagery d. Oxymoron 2. Which piece(s) of textual evidence from Act II are examples of the theme that words can be used to bend and alter the truth? Circle all that apply. (RL11.2) a. Polonius to Reynaldo: Addicted so and so. And there put on him / What forgeries you please. Marry, none so rank / As may dishonor him. Take heed of that. b. Conversation between Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: But in the beaten way of friendship, / what make you at Elsinore? / To visit you, my lord, no other occasion. / Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I / thank you, and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too / dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your / own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, / deal justly with me. Come, come. Nay, speak. c. Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
(indicates POLONIUS ) That great / baby you see there is not yet out of his / swaddling-clouts 3. In scene ii, Hamlet s conversation with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern varies from his conversation with Polonius in scene i. When comparing the two conversations, what can you infer about Hamlet s madness? (RL11.3) a. His madness is implied (put on, not real) b. His madness is genuinely real 4. In Act II, scene ii, Hamlet has a discussion with Polonius and a discussion with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Which statement best compares the two discussions? (RL11.5) a. Both show Hamlet in discussion with another character. In the beginning of scene ii, Hamlet displays his madness to Polonius for the first time, yet in a later discussion Hamlet informs Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is not truly mad. b. Both show Hamlet in discussion with another character. Hamlet behaves as if he is mad in both discussions. c. Both show Hamlet in discussion with another character. In the first discussion, Hamlet displays his madness to Polonius for the first time, yet in the opening of the corresponding discussion with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Hamlet lets Polonius know he is acting. 5. Shakespeare often uses disease imagery in Hamlet. Which pieces of textual evidence support this claim? Circle all that apply. (Rl11.1, L11.5) a. Poisoned the whole ear of Denmark b. For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion Have you a daughter? c. The adventurous knight shall use his foil and target, the lover shall not sigh gratis, the humorous man shall end his part in peace, d. the air / look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this / majestical roof fretted with golden fire why, it
/ appears no other thing to me than a foul and / pestilent congregation of vapors. 6. Hamlet has obviously planned his madness, or is mad at certain well thought-out times. Which of the following pieces of textual evidence supports this claim? Circle all that apply. (RL11.1) a. I am but mad north-north-west: / when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw b. But my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived. c. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. / Your hands, come then. / Th' appurtenance of welcome is / fashion and ceremony. 7. The answer a in question 6 is an example of which literary device? (L11.5) a. Rhetorical Question b. Allusion c. Paradox d. Conclusion 8. The following lines are spoken by Hamlet in a monologue in Act II, scene ii: Am I a coward? and Who calls me villain? These are examples of which literary device? (L11.5) a. Rhetorical Question b. Allusion c. Paradox d. Conclusion
9. In which way do we see Hamlet and Laertes as foils in Act II? (RL11.3) a. They are both leaving Denmark for school in France. b. They both are being spied on by their fathers; Hamlet by Polonius and Laertes by Reynaldo. c. They are both helping set up the play. 10. What is the theme of Hamlet s soliloquy in Act II, scene ii: (RL11.2) Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! / Is it not monstrous that this player here, / But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, / Could force his soul so to his own conceit / That from her working all his visage wanned, / Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, / A broken voice, and his whole function suiting / With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing / For Hecuba! / What s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba / That he should weep for her? What would he do / Had he the motive and the cue for passion / That I have? Circle two. a. The inability to act b. The ability to cry c. The inability to cry 11. In which way do we see Hamlet and Fortinbras as foils in Act II? (RL11.3) a. They are both men of action. They both know their father s murders are guilty and are attempting to act on it right away. b. They both need confirmation of whether or not their father s murders are guilty and are waiting to act. c. They have both made the decision to avenge their father s deaths; Hamlet by setting up Claudius and Fortinbras by trying to gain back his lands.
12. Act II ends with Hamlet stating, The play s the thing / Wherein I ll catch the conscience of the King. What is the purpose of the play? (RL11.1, 11.5) a. It is a form of entertainment for the court to take their minds off the death of King Hamlet. b. It is the way Hamlet will gain definitive proof of Claudius guilt. c. It is a way for Claudius to try to cheer Hamlet up during his grief. 13. What is the allusion in the following selection from Act II, scene ii? (RL11.3, L11.5) Hamlet to Polonius: O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! a. Jephthah is a character in the Bible. He sacrificed his own daughter to God. By making this statement, Hamlet is suggesting that Polonius is doing the same thing by having Ophelia pretend to be in love with Hamlet. b. Jephthah is a character in the Bible. He sacrificed his own daughter to God. By making this statement, Hamlet is suggesting that Polonius is doing the same thing by sacrificing Ophelia s feelings and using her to spy on Hamlet. c. Jephthah is a character in the Bible. He sacrificed his own daughter to God. By making this statement, Hamlet is suggesting that Polonius will sacrifice Ophelia by planning her marriage Hamlet. 14. What can you infer about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from the following selection from Act II, scene ii? (RL11.3) Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern, Claudius says, and Gertrude replies, Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz. a. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are almost interchangeable
b. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are best friends c. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern both have the same job 15. What is the Modern English translation of the following selection from Act II, scene ii? (L11.4) Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring. a. I hope your voice is smooth like butter. b. I hope your voice hasn t changed yet. c. I hope your voice is beautiful like a ring. 16. Which literary device is used in the following text spoken by Ophelia about Hamlet in Act II? (L11.5) He took me by the wrist and held me hard. / Then goes he to the length of all his arm, / And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow, / He falls to such perusal of my face / As he would draw it. Long stayed he so. / At last, a little shaking of mine arm / And thrice his head thus waving up and down, / He raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk / And end his being. a. Paradox b. Satire c. Imagery d. Oxymoron 17. What is the modern day translation of the following text spoken by Hamlet in Act I, scene iv? (L11.4) O cursèd spite, /That ever I was born to set it right! a. Curse the fact that I was born. b. Curse the fact that I am the first born son. c. Curse the fact that I m supposed to fix it.
18. How has the quote in question 17 lead to the events in Act II, scene ii? (RL11.1, 11.3) a. Hamlet is the first born son and, as so, it is his responsibility to get revenge. b. Hamlet has to avenge his father s death and has come up with a plan to confirm Claudius guilt with the play. c. Hamlet is angry that he was born and wishes he was dead so he didn t have to act in the play. 19. Act II ends with Hamlet stating, The play s the thing / Wherein I ll catch the conscience of the King. Which statement best translates this statement into Modern English? (L11.4) a. Hamlet can physically catch the King because he will be sitting in the audience of the play. b. The events of the play will prove whether or not the King is guilty. c. Everyone knows Claudius is not moral because he has asked for a play. 20. Why is the couplet identified in question 19 so important to the play? (RL11.3, 11.5) a. It shows the rising action b. It foreshadows the climax c. It illustrates the falling action d. It proves Claudius is guilty