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Reflections about relationships
Polonius critical essay
Polonius critical essay
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Recommended: Reflections about relationships
The famous lines of Polonius often seriously quoted may seem like a conventional, practical, and wise advice. At first glance, the quote seems complicated and hard to grasp at first because it is difficult to truly understand own self. But, Shakespeare teaches us that is worthy and practical to take time to truly understand oneself for the future. Furthermore, Shakespeare emphasizes that by understanding oneself, Better decisions, better associates, and better environment could be established leading up to a satisfying life. However, his advice, "to thy own self be true" often lacks true originality and sincerity since it begs the question if Polonius is ever really a “good father” or if he clustered all his care into this “wise advice” as
The death of Polonius is a prime example of Hamlet’s paranoid and volatile mental state. Moments after sparing Claudius’s...
character Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet fits the description of one who tries to deceive others
The scene between Hamlet and Polonius took place in Act II Scene 2. In Hamlet's first encounter with Polonius, he immediately insulted the old man by calling him a "fishmonger". He then quickly changed his opinion and complemented Polonius by calling him an honest man. Hamlet said, "to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand". As we know Polonius definitely was not such a man. Hamlet was portrayed as a clever lad, who was playing a psychological game with an old fool. He asked Polonius whether or not he had a daughter, pretending he did not know that Ophelia was Polonius's daughter. When Hamlet was asked about what he was reading, he replied by saying, "words, words, words". Throughout this scene, Hamlet revealed himself to Polonius as a mentally unstable man. He was playing a fool himself, while ingeniously using this to make Polonius look like an even bigger fool. He cleverly insulted Polonius' appearances indirectly, by referring to the book he was reading. According to that book old men had grey beards, their faces were wrinkled, they had a plentiful lack of wit, and so on. He was describing Polonius exactly. Perhaps the most humorous part took place when Hamlet, while saying, "for yourself, sir, shall grow old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward", he advanced towards Polonius, causing him to walk backwards. Those words and the actions on the stage revealed Hamlet to be a daring young man. When Polonius finally left, Hamlet dropped his pretense and yelled, "These tedious old fools!". In Act III Scene 2, Hamlet used a recorder, the musical instrument, as a telescope when Polonius entered the scene. He asked Polonius, "Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?". Hamlet always pretended to be the madman in front of Polonius, while he actually made him look like an old fool.
In the words of Harvey Fierstein, “What looks absolutely fabulous in rehearsal can fall flat in front of an audience. The audience dictates what you do or don't change”. Clearly, the success or failure of any work of art depends, almost entirely, on its ability to engage and connect with its audience. Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in history, certainly understood this concept. He targeted his Elizabethan audience skillfully, drawing them in and manipulating the way they interpreted his works. This is evident in one of his renowned plays, Hamlet. Attempts to target the audience are evident throughout the play, but focusing on one speech can provide a greater appreciation for Shakespeare’s deliberate efforts. In act four, scene two, while explaining that Polonius is dead, Hamlet says:
The question asked by Hamlet “To be, or not to be?” (III.i.57.) analyzes the deeper thoughts of the young prince of Denmark. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the battle between living life or dying runs repeatedly through Hamlet’s head. In this famous soliloquy, Hamlet ponders the feelings going through his head, during his monologue, on whether he should live with the disruptions in his life or end it all at once. Hamlet’s life, both fulfilling and depressing, made him act out more when it came to interacting with other people. With all the people who admired him, he still managed to push everyone away using his sarcastic antics to degrade them intentionally. Not only does he portray this type of personality to people, but the change in so
...never truly know another’s inner nature. If Hamlet’s scenario is not convincing enough, an examination of the situations of Polonius— whose attempts to see into Hamlet’s interior based on Hamlet’s actions get him killed— and Claudius— who also falls prey to the belief that his soul is impenetrable and dies as a result of it— may be helpful. As Hamlet demonstrates, there exist certain moral principles beyond human control, and sometimes, as in Hamlet’s case, they are better left unchallenged.
It is often heard: Nobody is Perfect. This phrase is often used as a rationalization of foolish human mistakes that could have been prevented. However, this statement has a much more profound significance. It contains an important lesson that guides or rather should guide people through life. By admitting that nobody is perfect, the individual demonstrates a deeper understanding of the human nature and inner self. This knowledge is essential to the individual's creation of healthy relationships with one's surrounding. For as Robert A. Johnson asserts in his book, He, "perfection or a good score is not required; but consciousness is"(76). In William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the main character experiences enormous inner turmoil, for he fails to acknowledge the human tendency for imperfection, or more strongly emphasizing, the human proneness to err. With his idealistic perception of the world crushed by his father's death and the incestuous remarriage of his glorified mother, Hamlet unconsciously throws himself into a reality, in which he develops a deep resentment for humanity, and more specifically, for his mother, Queen Gertrude. His frustrating disorientation and misunderstanding of his situation is not brought upon by the repressed sexual desires gaining control of Hamlet's mind, as Sigmund Freud would have it (119), however, it is, perhaps, the necessity, forcing him to abandon his security, that causes Hamlet to become paralyzed in his "meditation of inward thoughts"(Coleridge 95), thus, precluding his ability to act upon his deepest desire to avenge the wrongs.
mentions in a soliloquy that "To know my deed, ‘twere best not know myself." (II,
Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” Soliloquy in act 3, scene 1, reveals that Hamlet is a thoughtful and calculating character attempting to be cautious. Hamlet is looking at the prospect of killing himself from all viewpoints. In Hamlet’s soliloquy shakespeare strikes home with a pivotal human conc...
Polonius is over-eager and tries to give unwanted advice, during the play he is tactless and often rude. For instance, Polonius is a comic relief during his conversation with Gertrude and Claudius regarding Hamlet’s madness. Polonius rambling through his conversation contrasts with Gertrude’s seriousness of wanting to find out the reason to Hamlet’s madness. As Polonius begins to deliver to the king and queen the results of his investigation, he makes this statement, “My liege, and madam, to expostulate/ What majesty should be, what duty is,/ What day is day, night is night, and time is time,/ Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time;/ Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,/ And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,/ I will be brief. Your noble son is mad. . . .”(IIii,86-92) . Polonius’ speech is windy and nonsensical he wastes ti...
I agree with the statement that Polonius, adviser in the court of King Claudius of Denmark, is a good father who desires what is best for his children. Although he may be a fussy and overcautious old man, Polonius constantly gives good advice and his best wishes to both his children, Laertes and Ophelia.
Most people do not realize that the most quoted line in all of Shakespeare, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” is actually referring to Hamlet contemplating whether it is better to stay alive or to take his own life. In today’s English, he is, in the simplest of terms, asking himself if it’s better to put up with the crap life throws at you, or to just throw in the towel and end it all. Also at the same time Hamlet is giving this soliloquy, Claudius and Polonius are listening on to determine what has caused Hamlet’s madness, or almost stupidity. This soliloquy is almost Hamlet’s way of saying, “I’m not stupid, but I know myself quite well.” Because Claudius almost views Hamlet’s madness as he is stupidly oblivious to what is happening around him since Hamlet is so separate from everything. Hamlet is not stupid or mad, he knows himself and what he is doing, so much so that he ends up at this contemplation of suicide. Of all the sorrows he has seen and how everything seems to be a mess, he ultimately decides that that suicide is not what he will turn to, not because he is content with the cards he has been delt, but because he is scared of what comes after death. He describes it as, “Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death” (Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 77-79). Since he is unsure
Hamlet at this point is only pretending to be mad. He feigns madness by calling Polonius a “fishmonger” with one breath and then recalls he has a daughter with the next. Polonius calls his replies, “pregnant”. He means they are full of meaning and he claims that to be “a happiness that often madness hits on,” (II.ii.227-228). Polonius says, aside, that Hamlet’s lengthy replies are a sign of madness. Hamlet is revealed to be only pretending to be mad because as Polonius leaves Hamlet says aside, “These tedious old fools” (II.ii.237). This shows that Hamlet clearly knows and hates Polonius and was putting up an act. It is also a short remark and as Polonius stated, long remarks are signs of madness.
In Disney’s the little Mermaid, King Triton gives fatherly advice to Ariel. He tells Ariel that she should love whomever she wants to, even if it is a human. .Ariel responds positively to her father, and happily takes his advice. In doing so, Ariel proves she has the intelligence and wisdom to accept her father’s guidance. In Disney’s the lion king, Zazu warns Simba not to play in the Elephant graveyard. Simba ignores this advice however, and plays there anyways. In the end, he falls down a rather large hill and gets hurt. If Simba had chosen to accept the advice, he would not have hurt himself or have disappointed Zazu. Both characters are given advice, but it is their own choice whether they choose to accept or ignore the guidance. Like these instances in classic Disney movies, many characters in King Lear are also given advice that they may choose to embrace or ignore. Throughout William Shakespeare’s play, it is shown that it takes a truly wise person to give advice. As well, those that are foolish choose not to accept the advice. In the end, the foolish will suffer from their ignorance. Throughout the play King Lear, this is shown repeatedly as the characters struggle to gain power and show their loyalty. Evidently, choosing to ignore the advice of others leads to suffering.
One of the most famous quotes from William Shakespeare's works is "to be or not to be, that is the question." This quote was taken from Hamlet and was spoken by Hamlet. The quote can be interpreted in many ways, but Hamlet was speaking of his own philosophy. Hamlet makes frequent remarks regarding his philosophy of life, whether it be love, loyalty, family, etc. Further, Hamlet's philosophy can help explain the demise of the characters in the play.