Hamlet Act 2 Scene 1-2

Scene 1:

• Polonius wants Reynaldo to spy on Laertes but not tell anyone about knowing them
• "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth." - meaning throw out a lit, and people will tell you the truth
• Polonius then talks to Ophelia to get her to spy on Hamlet
• Ophelia tells Polonius that he was in a very disheveled state when she saw him acting strangely, almost trying to make a move on her but she denied him

Scene 2:

• King Claudius and Gertrude pay Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet 
• Claudius knows that Hamlet is acting rash
• Fortinbras's levies to use against Claudius which makes his uncle mad so they won't fight even thought they still want to
• "Brevity is the soul of wit." -Polonius, good news confirms his own righteousness, pressing his advantage while Claudius is in a good mood
• Polonius tells Claudius about Hamlet, reads him a letter Hamlet wrote to Ophelia about how he loves her and they formulate a plan to have Ophelia keep an eye on him
• Claudius and Gertrude leave, and Hamlet enters, calling Polonius a fishmonger 
• Hamlet asks about Ophelia, speaking strangely putting Polonius on guard who leaves soon, and Hamlet knows that Polonius sent Rosencranzt and Guildenstern to spy on him
• "What piece of work is a man." -Hamlet: making reference to the theme of the play, that people are capable of terrible things
• Polonius leaves, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter; Hamlet confesses to them that he's not himself, feels depressed- but he could be faking it because he knows that they'll run off later to tell Polonius
• Hamlet is formulating his own plan against Polonius
• "The plays the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." -Hamlet
• In Hamlet's soliloquy, he beats himself up about not killing Claudius yet, that actors can cry and act while Hamlet has not shed a tear
• "I should be cut in pieces and fed to the birds, such an ass."
• But Hamlet is acting crazy to keep other people's defenses down, so they don't see anything coming because he can't take them all down at once; he's trying to find evidence to use in front of everyone that Claudius killed King Hamlet