Hamlet 2.1-2.2

In the entirety of Act 2 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the reader is given insight into the parental lengths the parent figures in the play go to, so as to look out for their children. This is seen in Polonius’ plan for Laertes and Claudius’ ideas regarding Hamlet.
Polonius opens the first scene of the Act with a conversation he is having with servant, Reynaldo. It is quickly made clear that Polonius’ watchful eye on his son is more literal than originally thought. He asks Reynaldo to bring Laertes some money and letters, but prior to that he tells the man that he must spy on Laertes. He asks that he “inquire / of his behavior,” (4-5) by spreading rumors amongst the local French Danish people (after having their backgrounds checked) and determining if Laertes’ actions will bring “dishonor,” (21) to himself and his father. The situation presented will provide Polonius with information, but could still potentially harm Laertes’ social life. This begs the question: Why does Polonius wish to learn of his son in this dishonest way. Polonius himself states that the best method of watching Laertes is “by indirections find directions out,” (65). Polonius is a hypocritical, conniving, untrusting and self-satisfying individual so it is only sensible that he must spy on his seemingly deceitful son with his “fetch of wit” (39) master-mind plan but also tells Reynaldo he must “observe his inclination in yourself” (70), because gossip cannot be trusted.
A second breech of parental limitations comes in the second scene when Claudius proposes a plan to determine what is bothering Hamlet. He tells of Hamlet’s condition, with his wife, to two of Hamlet’s old friends saying that he has undergone a “transformation” (5) and the men must watch over Hamlet to find the problem and while doing so “draw Hamlet to pleasures” (15) to lift his mood and eventually the kingdom will finalize a “remedy,” (18) for the negative and crazed actions. Polonius claims Hamlet is mad, overstepping his bounds once again, and states that using Ophelia as bait (another less-than-moral parenting choice) could find them an answer. The friend-plan of Guildenstern and Rosencrantz by Claudius does not succeed and Hamlet is onto the hoax immediately. The reader is still left to wonder Claudius’ intentions. Was it genuine worry for Hamlet? Or concern simply for the odd behavior about the castle? Whatever the reason, Claudius (like Polonius) utilizes espionage to determine their child’s well-being and thus proves himself to be a lacking and untrusting parental figure.