Hamlet · Chapter
Scene I explained
Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes in Paris, instructing him to use indirect methods to gather information.
What happens
Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes in Paris, instructing him to use indirect methods to gather information. Ophelia then reports Hamlet's strange and distressed behavior, which Polonius interprets as madness caused by love for Ophelia, and decides to inform the king.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene is the dramatic climax because it marks the psychological and moral peak of King Claudius’s interna…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Deception and Spying
Polonius instructs Reynaldo to use falsehoods and indirect methods to spy on Laertes, exemplifying the theme of deception.
- Appearance vs. Reality
Hamlet's disheveled appearance and strange behavior are interpreted by Polonius as madness from love, but the reality of Hamlet's motives remains ambiguous.
Characters to notice
- Polonius
Polonius instructs Reynaldo on spying tactics and later interprets Hamlet's behavior as lovesickness.
- Reynaldo
Reynaldo is sent by Polonius to spy on Laertes in Paris.
- Ophelia
Ophelia reports Hamlet's alarming visit to her closet, describing his disheveled appearance and silent, intense behavior.
- Hamlet
Hamlet appears in Ophelia's closet in a disheveled state, acting strangely and silently, which Polonius attributes to lovesickness.
Key passages
“And thus do we of wisdom and of reach, With windlasses and with assays of bias, By indirections find directions out”
We wise and far-sighted people use indirect methods and roundabout approaches to discover the truth.
Polonius explains the value of indirect inquiry to Reynaldo.
“He took me by the wrist and held me hard; Then goes he to the length of all his arm; And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow, He falls to such perusal of my face As he would draw it.”
He grabbed my wrist tightly, then stepped back, holding my arm at full length, and studied my face intently as if trying to memorize it.
Ophelia describes Hamlet's intense and silent examination of her.
