Tuesday, June 25, 2019

According to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, how has Hamlet received their inquiries ?

The king, Claudius, feels some disbelief that Hamlet's old friends from school are unable to figure out the cause of the prince's odd and crazy behavior. Guildenstern assures the king that Hamlet is not exactly happy to be questioned about his feelings, saying,

Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.But with a crafty madness keeps aloofWhen we would bring him on to some confessionOf his true state. (3.1.7-10)

In other words, Hamlet avoids their questions and refuses to give them straight answers when they try to encourage his confidence. Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, wants to know if he has treated them well, and Rosecrantz says that Hamlet has behaved like a gentleman toward them, but Guildenstern's story differs somewhat. He tells Gertrude that Hamlet has acted "with much forcing of his disposition," meaning that Hamlet seemed to have to force himself to be nice to them (3.1.13). Rosencrantz claims, also, that Hamlet didn't really ask them any questions about themselves, so he didn't seem particularly eager to make conversation with the pair.


After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern meet with Hamlet, Claudius and Gertrude question them about what they have discovered.
Claudius asks if they have found out why Hamlet is acting like a lunatic. 
Rosencrantz says Hamlet confessed he feels distracted but that he did not explain why. When Gertrude asks if Hamlet received them well, Guildenstern says he behaved like a gentleman.
When Gertrude asks them if they found out about any activity that Hamlet might enjoy, Rosencrantz responds by saying that Hamlet has been interested in a group of actors that arrived at the court. Rosencrantz said he thought Hamlet had arranged for the actors (players) to stage a play:

Madam, it so fell out that certain players We o'erraught on the way. Of these we told him, And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it. They are here about the court, And, as I think, they have already order This night to play before him.

Claudius says he is pleased ("it doth much content me") to hear of Hamlet experiencing "joy" because of these players. He tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to encourage Hamlet in this interest. Claudius does not realize, though the audience does, the irony in what he says: Hamlet is interested in putting on a play so that he can prove whether or not Claudius is guilty of murdering Hamlet's father. 

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