Polonius

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, there are many complex characters. Polonius, in his role as advisor to the king, adds much of the complexity and irony in the play. His character is a study in contradictions. An old, long winded, father of two, Polonius injects humor into the play, along with some confusion due to his uncanny wordiness. Throughout the play he takes it upon himself to find the center of Prince Hamlet’s “insanity”; he hypothesizes that the prince suffers from the “unrequited love” of his daughter, Ophelia. Polonius sees himself as an expert at finding out the truth by using indirect ways. Compared to Hamlet, who is trying to find out the truth about his father’s death in the same way, Polonius deserves the title of “tedious old fool.” Many literature buffs believe that the character of Polonius is nothing but a rambler, spouting off insights that sound wise on the surface but are shallow upon further exploration. In truth, Polonius possesses great depth and insight into himself and the minds of the other characters. How else can one explain, the wisdom which he gives to his son? Shakespeare does this to prove that Polonius is not just a simple advisor with a tendency for self-centeredness, but an oddly complex, well-rounded character. “Do as I say not as I do,” this phrase sums up the character of Polonius. His faults throughout the story lay in not following his own sound advice, and that is why Polonius’s death adds to the tragedy. He dies because he does not listen to himself.

“Give thy thoughts no tongue,

Nor any unproportioned thought his act.

Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,

Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;

But do not dull thy palm with entertainment

Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware

Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,

Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;

For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

And they in France of the best rank and station

Are of a most select and generous chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine ownself be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

These are the lines that clearly show Polonius’s wisdom, even if it seems self-centered and worldly. This advice which he gives to his son holds true even today. A brief summarization of the quote advises Laertes to: Say less than you know. Think before you act. Don't be cold, but don't be too friendly. Spend most of your time with your genuine friends who have already done you good. Choose your battles carefully, and fight hard. Dress for success. Don't loan or borrow money. And most importantly, look out for yourself; “Above all: to thine own self be true.” He maps out the way to live a long and prosperous life, yet he fails to follow his own instructions. His downfall begins when he tells the king every thought he has without thinking it through first, and then he goes out and tries to back up what he thinks. Polonius tells the King soon after conceiving the thought of Hamlet’s madness having its roots in his love for Ophelia. He runs and tells the King and Queen, "I have found the very cause of Hamlet's lunacy." He goes into great length about Hamlet's madness and its relation to love and truth. Polonius then