Hamlet Act 2 Essay

5) Although it only seems as background information, the fact that Hamlet is a scholar plays a large role in his thinking in act 2. Due to his desire to believe ideas that can be proven through evidence (similar to Horatio's reaction when had not seen the ghost), the questions Hamlet faces are unusual for him because they involve the supernatural, a non scientific phenomenon. This is due to the influence of the Renaissance. In addition, pride in human potential was also a newly introduced principal. When Guildenstern and Rosencrantz visit, it is his education that allowed him to quickly grasp onto the true reason they have visited and it is the influence of the Renaissance on his knowledge that allowed him to display betrayal in unique way. Hamlet states, “What a piece of work is a man...in apprehension how like god: the beauty of this world, the paragon of animals-and yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?” (2.1.309-314). Against medieval thinking that applauding God was the best way to praise, the Renaissance showed a new self confidence: pride in human abilities, intellect and human power. Hamlet uses this and describes the difference between what men are made to be between how they behave. Up to this

Although Polonius says this aside from Hamlet, the play of words Shakespeare uses, creates a sort of satire. It is quite amusing that Polonius thinks there is a method behind Hamlet’s madness which is right and wrong. Polonius believes that Hamlet is crazy for Ophelia’s love which is false. However, this does not mean Hamlet does not have a reason to his craziness. It was previously discovered that Hamlet is purposefully acting mad to disguise his true purpose to kill his uncle later on which shows the antic disposition. Therefore, Polonius is unknowingly right about Hamlet but does not catch on to his true purpose of