ACT II - Scene I Practice Quiz — Hamlet
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: ACT II - Scene I
Where does Act 2, Scene 1 take place?
A room in Polonius’s house at Elsinore.
Why does Polonius send Reynaldo to Paris?
To deliver money and notes to Laertes, but primarily to spy on Laertes’s behavior by making discreet inquiries.
What strategy does Polonius tell Reynaldo to use when gathering information about Laertes?
Reynaldo should spread minor rumors about Laertes (gaming, drinking, visiting brothels) to see if acquaintances confirm them.
What does Ophelia report about Hamlet’s appearance when he visited her?
His doublet was unfastened, he wore no hat, his stockings were dirty and fallen to his ankles, his face was pale, and his knees were knocking together.
What did Hamlet do when he entered Ophelia’s chamber?
He grabbed her wrist, held her at arm’s length, studied her face silently for a long time, sighed deeply, then left without taking his eyes off her.
What does Polonius conclude about Hamlet’s behavior after hearing Ophelia’s report?
He concludes that Hamlet has gone mad with love because Ophelia rejected him.
What does Polonius decide to do after hearing about Hamlet’s visit to Ophelia?
He decides to go to King Claudius and report Hamlet’s lovesickness.
Who is Reynaldo in Hamlet?
Reynaldo is Polonius’s servant, whom Polonius sends to Paris to spy on Laertes.
What does Polonius’s spying scheme reveal about his character?
It reveals him as manipulative and controlling, someone who instinctively uses deception rather than direct communication, even with his own children.
What comic trait does Polonius display during his conversation with Reynaldo?
He loses his train of thought mid-speech and has to ask Reynaldo where he left off, undercutting his pretension to wisdom.
How does Ophelia respond to her father’s questioning about Hamlet?
She is obedient and forthcoming, confirming she followed his orders to reject Hamlet’s letters and deny him access.
Why did Ophelia reject Hamlet’s advances before this scene?
Because Polonius commanded her to repel Hamlet’s letters and deny him access in Act 1.
How does Act 2, Scene 1 develop the theme of appearance versus reality?
Polonius uses false appearances (planted rumors) to discover truth about Laertes, while Hamlet may be performing madness to disguise his real intentions.
What motif is introduced in Act 2, Scene 1 that recurs throughout Hamlet?
Surveillance — Polonius spying on Laertes through Reynaldo foreshadows the pattern of characters secretly observing one another throughout the play.
How does the theme of parental control operate in this scene?
Polonius exerts control over both adult children: monitoring Laertes from afar through a spy and having already commanded Ophelia to cut off contact with Hamlet.
What is the central dramatic question raised by Hamlet’s behavior in this scene?
Whether Hamlet’s madness is a deliberate performance (his planned "antic disposition") or a sign of genuine emotional distress over losing Ophelia.
What is the dramatic irony in Polonius’s diagnosis of Hamlet’s madness?
The audience knows Hamlet planned to feign madness after meeting the ghost, but Polonius believes the madness is genuinely caused by love for Ophelia.
What extended metaphor does Polonius use to describe his spying strategy?
A fishing metaphor: "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth" — using lies as bait to catch the fish of truth.
Why does Shakespeare use reported action (Ophelia’s description) rather than showing Hamlet’s visit directly?
It heightens the mystery of whether Hamlet’s madness is real or performed, since the audience cannot judge his behavior firsthand and must rely on Ophelia’s interpretation.
What does "encompassment" mean in Polonius’s speech?
A roundabout method of inquiry; circling around a subject indirectly to gather information.
What does "ecstasy" mean when Polonius says "the very ecstasy of love"?
In Elizabethan usage, "ecstasy" means madness or a state of being beside oneself, not joy or pleasure.
What does "down-gyved" mean in Ophelia’s description of Hamlet?
Fallen down around his ankles like gyves (shackles), describing Hamlet’s stockings hanging loosely.
Who says "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth" and what does it mean?
Polonius says it to Reynaldo, meaning that by planting small lies one can catch the truth, just as a fisherman uses bait to catch a fish.
Who says "By indirections find directions out" and what does it mean?
Polonius says it, summarizing his philosophy that the best way to discover the truth is through indirect, roundabout methods rather than asking directly.
What does Polonius mean when he says "This is the very ecstasy of love"?
He is diagnosing Hamlet’s strange behavior as love-madness, believing Hamlet has gone insane because Ophelia rejected him.