In Act II, scene ii, Polonius reads Hamlet's love letter to Ophelia to Gertrude and Claudius. Ophelia had given it and other love letters to Polonius, her father, out of confusion and concern over Hamlet's professions of love for her. Polonius shares the letter with the King and Queen because he knows they are worried about Hamlet's recent irrational behavior. In the letters, Polonius believes he has found the key to Hamlet's madness: Hamlet is...
In Act II, scene ii, Polonius reads Hamlet's love letter to Ophelia to Gertrude and Claudius. Ophelia had given it and other love letters to Polonius, her father, out of confusion and concern over Hamlet's professions of love for her. Polonius shares the letter with the King and Queen because he knows they are worried about Hamlet's recent irrational behavior. In the letters, Polonius believes he has found the key to Hamlet's madness: Hamlet is in love. Polonius explains to the King and Queen that when Ophelia came to him with her worries, he told her to avoid Hamlet: "Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star / This must not be.” In other words, because of being a prince, Hamlet was out of her league and it was safest to stay away from him. But because Ophelia has rejected him, Hamlet has gone crazy, Polonius maintains.
Polonius's plan is to spy on the couple along with the king to confirm that Hamlet really is in love. As a courtier, he will prove his worth if he can solve the monarchs' problem.
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