Essay On How Does King Polonius Use Of Honesty In Hamlet

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The Power of a Carp of Falsehood As suspicions arise, it is easy extract the truth through cheating and lying; however, after doing so, the dishonesty used makes the truth less valid. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the character of Hamlet struggles with whom he can trust, finding that most are untruthful in order to benefit themselves. Conversely, Polonius, a wealthy and prominent advisor of Hamlet’s family, the Danish monarchy, attempts to create falsehoods to confuse and control Denmark. While Polonius and Hamlet both have immense power, Polonius is able to use his influence more efficiently as he understands the instability and variability of truth. Hamlet’s demise comes from his inability to accept the truth as a multifaceted problem with the option to accept or deny it. …show more content…

Polonius’ exact job is unknown, but his relationship to the King is very strong, conveying a history in which Polonius was able to present gossip for him. In an attempt to gain information regarding his son’s affairs, Polonius asks his servant to spy on his son: “See you now / Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth; / And thus do we of wisdom and of reach, / With landlasses and assays of bias, / By indirections find directions out” (2.1.69-73). Hoping that his son will be “baited” into revealing the truth, Polonius derives falsehoods from his suspicions and hopes that his son will be tricked into confirming his father’s doubts. Polonius uses the “bait of falsehood” again when he sets Hamlet up to reveal his craziness as a result of devotion for Polonius’

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