Polonius is a character in Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" who serves as the lord chamberlain of Denmark. He is an influential figure at the court of the king, but he is also portrayed as a foolish and manipulative character.
At the beginning of the play, Polonius is introduced as a wise and cautious man who is deeply concerned about the welfare of his children, Laertes and Ophelia. He gives them long-winded and tedious speeches about the importance of behaving responsibly and following the rules. However, as the play progresses, it becomes clear that Polonius is more concerned with advancing his own interests than he is with the well-being of his children.
Polonius is a sycophant who is always looking for ways to ingratiate himself with the king and queen. He is quick to offer advice and counsel, even when it is not wanted or needed. His constant interference and meddling often leads to misunderstandings and conflicts, and he is ultimately responsible for the tragic events that unfold in the play.
Despite his many flaws, Polonius is a complex and multi-faceted character. He can be both humorous and serious, and his speeches often contain clever wordplay and paradoxes. However, his love of flattery and his tendency to speak in riddles and aphorisms often make him appear insincere and untrustworthy.
In the end, Polonius is fatally stabbed by Hamlet, who mistakes him for the king. His death serves as a turning point in the play, and it marks the beginning of the tragic downfall of the main characters.
Overall, Polonius is a flawed and unlikeable character, but his actions and words have a significant impact on the events of "Hamlet." Despite his many faults, he is an important and memorable character in the play.
Hamlet: Polonius
HAMLET No, by the rood, not so. POLONIUS What follows then, my lord? Look you lay home to him. He is, at the same time, the wise old man, the scapegoat, the fool, the politician. QUEEN Nothing at all; yet all that is I see. Instead, he talks with Claudius about matters of state. QUEEN This is the very coinage of your brain. HAMLET 15 Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.
Polonius will go to all extremes to protect his reputation. He is considered a high class-citizen although he is below Hamlet and the king. When examined from a Marxist perspective, Polonius is often treated poorly by Hamlet because he is not in the same social rank as the prince; however, Polonius values his position as counselor highly and goes through immense measures to assure that he retains his job because it guarantees him a place Hamlet And Polonius Influence On Hamlet Tragedy of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, King Hamlet is silenced by his brother Claudius when he kills him by pouring poison into his ear while the King was sleeping in the garden. Tragically, that leads him to harm his family. ROSENCRANTZ Nay, their endeavor keeps in the wonted pace. KING As of a man faithful and honorable. If so, whether he came before or after the episode on the ice, Polonius would have suffered xenophobic hostility from Danish nationalists.
ROSENCRANTZ Neither, my lord. ROSENCRANTZ 335 My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. This Father's Day, consider some of the busiest, quirkiest, and hardest working dads aroundâanimal dads like the the jacana, Darwin's frog, and seahorse. He instructs Reynaldo to spy on his son, and even suggest that he has been gambling and consorting with prostitutes, to find out what he has really been up to. Earlier in the scene Polonius attempts to convince Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet has lost his mind.
In conclusion, Shakespeare created Polonius as a very unique and complex character. Texas Studies in Literature and Language: vol. HAMLET Follow him, friends. Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! Shakespeare has created a single character who fulfils several roles â roles that are usually played by several minor characters. HAMLET How chances it they travel? I will be faithful. I will go seek the King.
POLONIUS Take this from this, if this be otherwise. QUEEN Why, how now, Hamlet? He is the epitome of everything that Hamlet hates in the court of Denmark. For, by my fay, I cannot 285 reason. Come, give us a taste of your quality. I am sorry that with better heed and judgment 125 I had not coted him. Polonius continues to demonstrate his foolishness by babbling and losing his train of argumentation when speaking to the King and Queen. The first piece of advice that could help me succeed in college Introduction Of Polonius In Hamlet of Polonius in Hamlet is one of an elderly chief counselor to the king of Denmark, but as his character develops, we see him evolve into a manipulator who worries about his self-image and how his family might jeopardize that; one would say Polonius fears being a simple man and will sacrifice anything for status.
Polonius, Hamlet: An Overview Of Polonius' Character
But he is not the only one guilty of procrastination. When Laerters comes back to England and sees her, he is shocked at the current state she is in. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP, 1992. HAMLET Nay, I know not. Polonius gives Laertes simple advice, to keep his thoughts to himself and to never lend or borrow money.
They make people roll their eyes and shake their heads in embarrassment. The only clear backstory Shakespeare gave is that Polonius was an actor at university. Their residence, both in reputation and profit, was better both ways. And I beseech you instantly to visit My too much changèd son. POLONIUS I mean the matter that you read, my lord. The absence of their mother makes this fresh loss even tougher. Is it your own inclining? Polonius is too unimaginative to see the truth.
But let that go. ROSENCRANTZ 305 To what end, my lord? It is not only because they are similar in this respect but also that their types of delaying are different, they contrast each other. KING How may we try it further? While this advice is simple, when looked at in full context his advice to his son is all about self-advancement. Still harping on 205 my daughter. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1962. Who can live humanly without ever borrowing or lending? HAMLET That you must teach me. I have not art to reckon my groans, but that I love thee best, O 130 most best, believe it.
The enigmatic nature of Hamlet, whose speeches and actions lend to multiple interpretations, generates a sense of uncertainty in Essay On Polonius In Hamlet intruding fool, farewell! He tells Ophelia: Come, go with me. Now gather and surmise. Shakespeare uses the persona of Polonius, as a satirical figure and as a foil, to show what is wrong with the court of the time. Mad let us grant him then, and now remains That we find out the cause of this effect, 110 Or, rather say, the cause of this defect, For this effect defective comes by cause. Were you not sent for? Polonius frequently makes long-winded, tedious speeches and proves himself incapable of following his own advice about being succinct.
This is the very ecstasy love, Whose violent property forgoes itself and leads the will to desperate undertakings As oft as any passions under heaven that do afflict our natures. Desperate to both conceal his plot against Claudius and his own mental state, Hamlet utilizes diversion after diversion to distract his friends; Hamlet avoids this confrontation by showing incredible intrigue with the band of actors that have arrived and further tormenting Polonius. He just knows how to survive it. New York: Washington Square Press published by Pocket Books, 1992. He fancies himself a literary critic, and his try-hard erudition when commenting on the players smacks of someone enamored with academia, but outside of it.
