ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Polonius meets with his sly servant Reynaldo and tells him to go to Paris and spy on Laertes. He charges the servant to find any Danes living in Paris and to question them as to Laertes’ whereabouts and reputation. Polonius even goes so far as to give Reynaldo permission to use lies to entrap Laertes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Polonius is asking Reynaldo to spy on Laertes because he does not want him to get into too much trouble. This shows that Polonius is suspicious and manipulative. 28. Ophelia goes to her father in this scene; she is very upset.

Detailed explanation-3: -Under the pretext of delivering money, Polonius calls for Reynaldo and orders him spy on Laertes. On the one hand, the father does not trust his son and wants to examine if he is prone to misbehave.

Detailed explanation-4: -Why does Polonius want Reynaldo to pretend to know Laertes only distantly? He does not want Reynaldo caught for who he really is or Laertes to find out. What are some of the forgeries Polonius wants Reynaldo to say about Laertes? That he is drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling, and drabbing.

Detailed explanation-5: -Polonius’ plan to spy on Hamlet, to trap him, as it were, by exposing a private letter the old man has impounded from his daughter, does not please Gertrude. Her son’s welfare concerns her far more than affairs of state.