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How does Polonius plan to trap Hamlet?

How does Polonius plan to trap Hamlet?

Polonius’ plan to spy on Hamlet, to trap him, as it were, by exposing a private letter the old man has impounded from his daughter, does not please Gertrude. Her son’s welfare concerns her far more than affairs of state.

What trap does Polonius set for Laertes?

In Scene one, Polonius sets a trap to attempt to discover what Laertes is up to — is he falling by the wayside by gambling and visiting brothels? He counsels Reynaldo to act as a sort of spy, asking misleading things of those around Laertes to try to get the truth by way of deception.

Where does Polonius spy on Hamlet?

At the top of Act II Polonius instructs Reynaldo to spy on his son, Laertes, in Paris. Polonius goes into great detail, explaining not only the types of information he wants, but also how Reynaldo should go about procuring that information.

Why does Polonius spy on his son?

In Act II, Scene i, Polonius’s ostensible reason for sending Reynaldo to Paris is to take money and notes to Laertes. His real reason, however, appears to be that he wants Reynaldo to spy on Laertes and find out if he is gaming, drinking, fencing, swearing, or going to brothels.

Does Horatio spy on Hamlet?

Hamlet and Horatio both spy on Claudius during the play to discern whether or not the Ghost was telling the truth about his involvement in King Hamlet’s death. Hamlet and Horatio also spy on Ophelia’s funeral procession while they are in the graveyard.

Does Hamlet know Polonius is spying on him?

Polonius will spy as Hamlet confides in his mother. The old man expects that Hamlet will confess his love for Ophelia. For reasons he does not disclose, Claudius agrees to the plan. Hamlet knows that his elders are ganging up on him.

Why does Polonius spy on Hamlet and Gertrude?

Answer Expert Verified. Polonius decides to eavesdrop on Hamlet and Gertrude because he wants to find out why Hamlet is behaving in such a weird manner all of a sudden. His daughter was supposed to marry Hamlet, but he changed suddenly and became very odd after his father’s death.

What plan do he and Claudius devise to see if this is true?

He resolves to devise a trap for Claudius, forcing the king to watch a play whose plot closely resembles the murder of Hamlet’s father; if the king is guilty, he thinks, he will surely show some visible sign of guilt when he sees his sin reenacted on stage.

Does Polonius spy on Hamlet?

In his last attempt to spy on Hamlet, Polonius hides himself behind an arras in Gertrude’s room. Hamlet deals roughly with his mother, causing her to cry for help. Polonius echoes the request for help and is heard by Hamlet, who then mistakes the voice for Claudius’ and stabs through the arras and kills him.

Why might Hamlet treat Polonius this way?

Hamlet treats Polonius with contempt because Polonius is a sycophant and a meddler. The older man’s motivations center around gaining favor in high places. He tries to present the love of Ophelia as the root of Hamlet ‘s madness, perhaps in the hope that the king will order the two…

What two main purposes is Polonius sending Reynaldo to Paris?

Why does Polonius send Reynaldo to Paris? To take money and notes to Laertes and to spy on him to make sure he is not gaming, drinking, fencing, swearing, or going to brothels. 2.

What does Polonius want Reynaldo to find out about?

What doe Polonius want Reynaldo to find out about? Polonius wants Reynaldo to find out which Danes are living in Paris and get details on their purpose for being there. Polonius suggests that Reynaldo pretends to know Laertes well enough, so they will confide in him.

How does Polonius proceed to prove his theory about the hamlet?

In this scene, Polonius tells Claudius that he knows why Hamlet has gone mad. He says Hamlet is mad with unrequited love. He goes on to prove his theory (or to try to give evidence for it) by reading from a letter that Hamlet has sent to Ophelia, Polonius’s daughter.

How did Polonius prove his theory to Ophelia?

He produces a letter from Hamlet to Ophelia to prove it (2.2.116-129). Polonius is convinced that Hamlet is mad for Ophelia’s love by the letter and by Ophelia’s report to him in act 2, scene 1 of Hamlet’s truly bizarre behavior towards her while she was alone in her rooms.

Why was Polonius concerned about his son Laertes?

Hamlet Polonius is a proud and concerned father. In his first line he tells us he hesitates to let his son Laertes go abroad, and he draws out his last meeting with Laertes because he’s reluctant to see him go. In the same scene, Polonius advises his daughter Ophelia to avoid Hamlet because he’s worried about her.

Who are the main characters in the play Hamlet?

Character Analysis: Polonius in Hamlet. You are here: Hamlet is the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays for theater audiences and readers. It has been acted live in countries throughout the world and has been translated into every language. Polonius is one of the major characters in Hamlet, his role in the play is of great interest to scholars.