In this section of Hamlet it is all about deceit. Everyone is trying to get information from everyone else.
Polonius and Ophelia have a conversation about Hamlet. Ophelia feels that Hamlet has gone mad, and they both decide to go to the King and Queen to let them know what is happening. Together they come up with a plan to test their theory. " To find the cause of this effect, Or rather say the cause of this defect". Hamlet often walks the the lobby of the castle alone. They are going to hide, while Ophelia confronts Hamlet, seeing if his love for her is making him mad.
The King and Queen call on Rosencrantz and Guildenstren ( two friends of Hamlet) to get information out of Hamlet. At first Hamlet is happy to see them, but then tells them that he knows that the King and Queen have sent for them. They can stay, but that his "Uncle-Father and Aunt-Mother"are deceived by his madness.
The players arrive, and they are going to do a play, " The Murder of Gonzago". Hamlet is going to add a bit of his own to it. " A speech of some dozen or sixteen lines, which I would set down and insert in't, ."
If Hamlet just pretending to be mad, he is doing a great job. He declares he is only mad at certain times. " I am but mad north-north west when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw."
Hamlet is acting mad to try and get a confession from the murderer of his father. Do you think he has an idea of who that is?
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Since the ghost of his father told him who killed him in the first act, I'd have to say yes he has an idea who murdered his father.
ReplyDeletethe ghost was direct as to who killed him. So Hamlet knows who killed his father and puts on the disguise of being mad to hide his true feelings of revenge.
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