Polonius in Shakespeares Hamlet :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Polonius in Hamlet In Shakespeares dramatic tragedy, Hamlet, the first dupe of the rapier, Polonius, meets death behind the arras in Gertrudes room in the castle. Polonius death contributes to Ophelias death and the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and these deaths, in turn, precipitate further tragedies in the play. Polonius, an underestimated character, will be the subject of this essay. Polonius entry into the play occurs at the companionable get-together of the royal court. Claudius has already been crowned Queen Gertrude is there Hamlet is depict in the black clothes of mourning. When Laertes approaches Claudius to give his farewell before return to school, the king asks Polonius Have you your fathers leave? What says Polonius? And the father dutifully answers He hath, my churchman, wrung from me my heavy leave By laboursome petition, and at last Upon his will I seald my unassailable consent I do beseech you, give him leave to go. So right at the outset the reader/viewer respects the lord chamberlain as a very fluent spokesman of the language, and respectful of his superior, the king. Later, in Polonius house, Laertes is winning leave of his sister, Ophelia, and, in the process, giving her conservative advice regarding her boyfriend, Hamlet. Quietly Polonius enters and begins to advise Laertes regarding liveness away from home move on thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportioned thought his act. Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. Those friends thou hast, and their espousal tried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel But do non dull thy palm with entertainment Of individually new-hatchd, unfledged comrade. Beware Of admission to a quarrel, but being in, Beart that the opposed may beware of thee. Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice Take each mans censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse female genitals buy, But not expressd in fancy rich, not gaudy For the set oft proc laims 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 get dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all to thine ownself be true,