Quotes from Hamlet Act 2

"Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris,
And how, and who, what means, and where they keep
What company at what expense; and finding
By this encompassment and drift of question
That they do know my son, come you more nearer"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: Polonius paying Reynaldo to spy on Laertes
Significance: Wants Reynaldo to spy on Laertes and find out if he is gaming, drinking, fencing, swearing, or going to brothels

"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."

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: Reynaldo spying on Laertes
Significance: Find out the bad he is up to but don't dishonor him in the mean time, do not shame him or put a scandal on him

"as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
No hat upon his head; his stockings fouled,
Ungartered, and down-gyvèd to his ankle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
And with a look so piteous in purport
As if he had been loosèd out of hell"

Spoken By: Ophelia
Context: Ophelia freightened by encounter with Hamlet
Significance: Hamlet shows up like a lunatic, disheveled, plays the part of a mad man successfully

"Mad for thy love?"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: In question to Ophelia about Hamlet's madness
Significance: "heartbroken?", is it lovesickness?, disregard for Ophelia's fear; more concerned with what he can report to the King

"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."

Spoken By: Ophelia
Context: Regarding encounter with Hamlet, talking to Polonius
Significance: Looks like he's studying her, acting like a guy playing a stereotypical unrequited lover

"He raised a sigh so piteous and profound
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk
And end his being. That done, he lets me go,
And, with his head over his shoulder turned,
He seemed to find his way without his eyes"

Spoken By: Ophelia
Context: Description of Hamlet encounter
Significance: Took a sigh that broke him, further showing how damaged he is and implying it was her fault, obsessive

"This is the very ecstasy of love"

Spoken By: Poloninus to Ophelia
Context: Ophelia frightened by Hamlet's new found madness that he displayed to her
Significance: He believes that Hamlet's behavior can be explained by him being heartbroken over Ophelia, familiar with such

"That hath made him mad.
I am sorry that with better heed and judgment
I had not quoted him. I feared he did but trifle
And meant to wreck thee. But beshrew my jealousy!
By heaven, it is as proper to our age
To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions
As it is common for the younger sort
To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king.
This must be known, which, being kept close, might move
More grief to hide than hate to utter love.
Come."

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: In response to Ophelia's description of Hamlet
Significance: Didn't know it was real love, apologizing, going according to plan (reporting to King), regrets viewing their relationship wrongly

"The need we have to use you did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's "transformation"—so call it
Since nor th' exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was. What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from th' understanding of himself"

Spoken By: King
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guidenstern about his need for them in Denmark
Significance: Sending closest friends to spy on him, acts as though doing it for Hamlet's best interest, Hamlet's new strange persona is apparent to all, shocking, paranoid of murderous fate

"To draw him on to pleasures and to gather,
So much as from occasion you may glean,
Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus"

Spoken By: King
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guidenstern about his need for them in Denmark
Significance: Sending closest friends to spy on him, acts as though doing it for Hamlet's best interest, Hamlet's new strange persona is apparent to all, shocking, paranoid of murderous fate, betrayal

"he hath much talked of you.
And sure I am two men there are not living
To whom he more adheres"

Spoken By: Queen
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guidenstern about their need for them in Denmark
Significance: No one he listens to more than them, respects them greatly and they will be betraying him, following along with a plan that benefits Claudius (submissive)

"For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks"

Spoken By: Queen
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guidenstern about their need for them in Denmark
Significance: Bribing his "closest friends", they comply, Hamlet can trust no one, SHITTY MOTHER

"But we both obey
And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
To lay our service freely at your feet
To be commanded"

Spoken By: Guildenstern
Context: To the Queen and King on the offer of Bribery towards spying on Hamlet
Significance: Will be puppets, selling loyalty, Hamlet can trust no one

"I hold my duty as I hold my soul"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the Queen and King on the cause of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Considers it his duty to both God and the king, takes it seriously

"He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found
The head and source of all your son's distemper"

Spoken By: King
Context: To the Queen, during which Polonius arrives with news of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Polonius found the reason for his madness, insanity

"I doubt it is no other but the main:
His father's death and our o'erhasty marriage"

Spoken By: Queen
Context: To the King when he suggests Polonius knows the reason for Hamlet's insanity
Significance: She is unrepentant and unremorseful

"He truly found it was against your highness"

Spoken By: Voltemand, messenger
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Fortinbras and Norway
Significance: Fortinbras coming, he vowed to take Norway

"brevity is the soul of wit
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad.
Mad call I it, for, to define true madness,
What is 't but to be nothing else but mad?"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Taking forever to get to the point, irony (says intelligence = briefness, being everything but such)

"More matter with less art"

Spoken by Queen to Polonius when he's talking about the cause of Hamlet's insanity, stop and get to the point

"That we find out the cause of this effect, or, rather say, the cause of this defect"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Taking forever to get to the point, Hamlet is clearly crazy and there is something wrong with him, will finally get to the point, play on words, what's the effect of this defect

"I have a daughter—have while she is mine—
Who in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this. Now gather and surmise"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Possessive over Ophelia, gave him a letter from Hamlet (planned for this reason), Hamlet is obsessive

"I am ill at these numbers. I have not art to reckon my groans, but that I love thee best, oh, most best, believe it. Adieu.
Thine evermore, most dear lady,
whilst this machine is to him"

Spoken By: Polonius, reading letter to Ophelia from Hamlet
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Absolutely obsessive, head over heals, loves her the most, while his body is his and he is alive he is her's

"But what might you think, when I had seen this hot love on the wing"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: What would you have thought of me if I had kept quiet about it? Noticed it before Ophelia even made it known, teen relationship ~steamy~

"What might you think? No I went round to work"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: I took action, stopped their contact, proving his worthiness on the matter

"Lord Hamlet is a prince, out of thy star"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Admitting everyone's likeness for Hamlet, he's beloved, out of Ophelia's league because of royal blood, signifying everyone's pure image of him

"Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,
Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves
And all we mourn for"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy
Significance: Slowly fell into madness because of rejection, Ophelia's rejection and the lovesickness is responsible for his new transformation

"How may we try it further?"

Spoken By: King
Context: To the Polonius and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy being about Ophelia
Significance: How can we prove that the cause is lovesickness and not targeted at the king in some way, scared

"At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him"

Spoken By: Polonius
Context: To the King and Queen on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy and how to prove it's about Ophelia
Significance: Animal imagery, his daughter is a mere object to him, more spying to be done, confident that he is right, arrogant

"But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading"

Spoken By: Queen
Context: To the King and Polonius on the topic of Hamlet's lunacy, Hamlet walking in
Significance: Hamlet clearly sad and wretched, imagery of what he appears like, gossiping about own son

"Excellent well. You are a fishmonger"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Polonius during encounter after Polonius talks to King and Queen
Significance: Hamlet belittling him, pretending he's lost his mind, acting ignorant to his relationship with Ophelia

"To be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Polonius during encounter after Polonius talks to King and Queen
Significance: Honesty comes rare, no one is anymore, wish he was as good a man as he a fish seller, good is rare

"Still harping on my daughter ... He is far gone"

Spoken By: Polonius to himself
Context: During encounter with Hamlet after he talked to King and Queen
Significance: Acting as though unrecognizable but still obsessive over Ophelia, he truly has lost his reason, he too was crazy in love once and familiar with this

"Though this be madness, yet there is method in't"

Spoken By: Polonius to himself
Context: During encounter with Hamlet after he talked to King and Queen
Significance: There is a method to his madness, an underlying meaning, Hamlet is dangerous because of his intelligence and his tendency to always be the smartest in the room

"Into my grave?"

speaker: Hamlet
talking to: Polonius
context: "Will you walk out of the air, my lord?" -Polonius
Significance: Depressed, death thoughts looming

"You cannot, (sir,) take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal - except my life, except my life"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Polonius during encounter after Polonius talks to King and Queen
Significance: You can't take anything but my life from me, can not take anything that he cares less about, life has no meaning or significance anymore

"But your news is not true"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: Knows they are spying and betraying him

"Denmark's a prison"

Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Denmark is the embodiment of hell on earth, bound, not allowed to leave his living nightmare

"O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: Living a nightmare, could live in a nutshell alone and entrapped, prison is referring to his bad dreams and the nightmare that is his life

"But, honest man, I am most dreadfully attended. > But, in the beaten way of friendship, what make you at Elsinore?"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: In the name of their true friendship and all they have been through, tell me the truth why you are here, giving them one last chance to redeem their trustworthiness and they lie

"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."

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: In the name of their true friendship and all they have been through, tell me the truth why you are here, giving them one last chance to redeem their trustworthiness and they lie

"But let me conjure you, by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal: be even and direct with me whether you were sent for or no."

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: In the name of their true friendship and all they have been through, tell me the truth why you are here, giving them one last chance to redeem their trustworthiness and they lie

"My lord we were sent for"

Guildenstern- telling Hamlet why they're there after denial of their true intentions

"I have of late—but wherefore I know not—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises, and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: The world is a wasteland, world around him is poison, depressed, transparent

"The beauty of the world. The paragon of animals. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: Derives no pleasure from anything, transparent, wants to die, displaying his misery knowing they will go back to the kind regardless

"To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what Lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you"

Spoken By: Guildenstern
Context: To Hamlet in response to his question of why they were laughing at his mention of his inability to derive pleasure from people
Significance: Just ordered entertainment to lift his spirits, will be those people who carry out the play of his father's murder

"I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from handsaw"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: Being completely absurd, pretending to be crazy

"We'll hear a play tomorrow ... Can you play "The Murder of Gonzago""?

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: To Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Significance: On the topic of the play that will be preformed by the actors they ordered to come to cheer Hamlet up, perform father's murder to gage reaction

"O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!"

Hamlet exlaims this statement after seeing that he has less passion than the actor. This line starting the soliloquy sets the mood of the speech by declaring himself ashamed that he has done so little to avenge his father's death. Cowardly

"What would he do Had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have?"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: Soliloquy, cowardly and has taken no action, players will perform murder
Significance: Actor is real and free, Hamlet envious, he has the ability to do something and a motive but has not acted it out, imagine the actor had the reason for doing it that he did too

"Who calls me 'villain'? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face?"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: Soliloquy
Significance: Mocking him, tormenting him, cowardly and would deserve this to be done

"I'll observe his looks; I'll tent him to the quick. If he do blench, I know my course"

Spoken By: Hamlet
Context: Soliloquy
Significance: testing ghost's impeachable nature, need to make sure Claudius acts guilty and displays that through his reaction, another excuse to prolong any action