Task 1: Context and Analysis.

In Act 2 Scene 2, Hamlet is visited by his his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are send by the King and the Queen to figure out what is affecting Hamlet so much. Hamlet, knowing why they were there, understands that everything he says to them is going to be communicated to both Claudius and Geltrude. But he figures out a way to convince them that his sadness is nothing more than how his metaphysical doubts are expressed. Hamlet, using rhetoric and poetry explains to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern how futile and banal are all the things around him for him. However, even though his "delusional" state dominates his emotions, he recognizes "What a piece of work is a man" (II,ii,303). Hamlet compares the human race not only to angels but to God itself. He illustrates a general perception of the time: humans are the greatest creation of nature. No animal, or other being can be compared with humans. However, because of what happened with King Hamlet, Hamlet is able to see the sickness, the depravity and the banality of humans. For him, humans are nothing but dust.