Question

Explain how the request of Claudius and Gertrude upon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is similar to the mission given to Reynaldo by Polonius in the last scene. What point is Shakespeare making to the audience here

Answer 1

Both of these requests are similar in the sense that they both involve parents asking others to monitor their children and be attentive to what they are doing. Polonius wants someone to watch over Ophelia, while Claudius and Gertrude want Rosencratz and Guildenstern to watch over Hamlet. Shakespeare wants to show how, even though both of these are requests of parents who want their child watched, the intention and consequences in each case are very different.