Act 2 Overview
Think of Act 2 as the "investigation act" - it's all about characters trying to uncover the truth about Hamlet's strange behaviour. Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes in France, whilst Ophelia reports that Hamlet visited her looking completely dishevelled. Meanwhile, Claudius and Gertrude recruit Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to get to the bottom of Hamlet's madness.
The political subplot continues as Fortinbras requests passage through Denmark to reach Poland. Polonius becomes convinced that Hamlet's erratic behaviour stems from lovesickness for Ophelia, leading to a plan where the royal couple will spy on a staged meeting between the young lovers.
The act concludes with Hamlet's brilliant counter-move: he arranges for travelling actors to perform "The Murder of Gonzago" with added lines that mirror his father's death. He also makes it clear to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he knows they're working for the king and queen.
Key insight: This act shows how appearance versus reality becomes central to the play - everyone is pretending, spying, or performing some kind of act.
