Notes on 2.2

Themes:

• Revenge: Hamlet is trying to get revenge on Claudius by showing the play about what he did to Old Hamlet. This is meant to not only embarrass him, but show everyone what he's done, and let Claudius know that Hamlet is aware of his secret.
  
• Death: He discusses death during the garden metaphor. He's suggesting that, though the sun can make a garden beautiful, it can also cause death and decay.
  
• Humanity: Hamlet gives a monologue about humanity, talking about how people are brilliant and graceful and even god-like, but really it's meaningless.
• Corruption or living in an unjust world: Hamlet says people are liars, "to be an honest man is to be 1 in 10,000". He discusses Denmark as a prison, and so is the world. He's saying that there's a lot of bad things in the world, and it's impossible to escape them. He talks about the garden, and uses the idea that the sun can breed good things and bad things.
  

Motifs:

• Prostitution: Fortune is a prostitute because she uses men to do her will. Polonius is more of a pimp because he sells his family for his own desires. For example, he's trying to orchestrate the marriage of Ophelia and Hamlet so he can be closer to the throne.This can fit the theme of revenge, depending on how the prostitution is used, or it can fit the theme of corruption. It could also fit the theme of humanity, because prostitution displays people as objects rather than people.
  
• Spying: The king and queen are spying on Hamlet, so they can find out what's really wrong with him. Polonius is spying on Laertes in France, and on Hamlet using Ophelia. Hamlet is spying on everybody by acting mad, because nobody is afraid to let their true colors show in front of a crazy person. This can fit the themes of revenge and corruption.
  
• Garden: Hamlet is the sun (son), which he has discussed can make things beautiful or make them decay. Claudius is the serpent, which is an allusion to Satan tempting Eve in Eden. Old King Hamlet is the sun god, giving birth to all things beautiful. Polonius is a weed, choking out everything good, and taking over the garden ruthlessly. Ophelia, however, is supposed to be a flower. She is good, pure, beautiful, and innocent.
• Dreams: Heroes and kings are the shadow of the lower class, just as dreams are a shadow of reality. This shows that Kings are just supposed to be a tool of the people.