See note on Hamlet’s courteousness above.

This line clearly sets up Prince Fortinbras as a foil for Prince Hamlet. Whether Fortinbras is really “delicate and tender” or not, Hamlet seems to admire and envy him.

Harold Bloom has characterized Fortinbras as “another great royal basher of heads” in the mold of Hamlet Senior, and sees a deep irony in Fortinbras’s judgment (at the end of the play) that Prince Hamlet would have followed that example if he’d lived.

If that…his eye: If his majesty needs anything from us, we will dutifully grant his request.

Go softly on: a polite goodbye. “Softly” is the rough equivalent of “safely.” Compare Antony in Julius Caesar 5.1: “Octavius, lead your battle softly on…”

Fortinbras’s courteous exchange with the Captain perhaps sets up Hamlet’s characterization of him (below) as a “delicate and tender prince.”

As Hamlet questions the Captain about the advancing army, he speaks in the courteous, gentlemanly mode that seems to come easily to him when he is not feigning madness or negotiating the tense world of Elsinore. He is perhaps especially “princely” in his manners when dealing with a commoner; we can see why he is a favorite of the people.

Hamlet is asking whether Norway is waging war on the whole of Poland, or engaged in a border skirmish.

Gertrude means that Hamlet’s revelations have left her at a loss for words–so she can’t blow Hamlet’s cover.

(By contrast, Hamlet is never at a loss for words–much to his frustration.)

Hamlet already knows Claudius is sending him to England (see previous scene). He is faking surprise here, or just mocking Claudius.

Another instance of the play’s many repeated goodbyes. Hamlet is especially prone to these: he can rarely resist getting in one last parting shot.

This is the one moment in the play in which we see Rosencrantz give Guildenstern a directive or vice versa. Usually they’re taking orders from others. However, Rosencrantz doesn’t necessarily outrank his partner: for all we know, Guildenstern might just as easily have reported to the king while Rosencrantz watched Hamlet.

Follow him on foot and convince him to board the ship quickly, without delay. I’ll have him sent away tonight. Go! Everything else required for this business is ready, so hurry up.

–

leans on: “relates to” (Riverside Shakespeare).