Let's speed things up a little. Polonius continues an ass. He even tries the patience of Gertrude, who probably owes him for her continued queenhood. It hurts me to skip "brevity is the soul of wit" and the nonsense surrounding it, because people too often don't realize how funny parts of this play are, but I am heeding Gertrude's advice.
So, the scene with Hamlet and Polonius. This is the first we see of "crazy Hamlet." Of course he's extremely sane, here. Claudius and Polonius could save themselves a lot of trouble and dying if Polonius could only tell when he's being made fun of. This scene provides a couple of possible alternate titles for the play:
1. Words, words, words (Hamlet)
2. Though this be madness, yet there is method in it (Polonius)
Finally, Polonius "takes his leave" of Hamlet. Hamlet responds with a line I'd love to say to someone at my job today: "You cannot, my lord, take from me anything I would more willingly part withal."
Of course, I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be--but I'm not Polonius either (sorry Prufrock), and today the feeling of being surrounded by vulgar idiots is particularly trying (I say this with a bit more humility than it sounds like). Let me sum up my problem:
1. Hamlet
2. Marx
3. Weber
4. Camus (but only in small installments and only admired, not endorsed or followed, you civilization-destroying hipsters).
Oh, now he's just trying to show off. Change the channel, honey.
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