Essay Hamlet

In other words, he believes the ghost’s accusation. This leaves Hamlet as being a coward or as a fervent revenger without opportunity.

Polonius played a vital role in Hamlet even though he was not one of the main characters. He continued to reinforce the theme of corruption and displayed the social and ethical collapse of Denmark. His deceitful actions show the reader that he is one of dishonesty and chicanery. In the play, Polonius was portrayed as someone who is a deceiver and pretender that betrays people he is supposed to be devoted to; and who only cares about things that will benefit him. These characteristics of Polonius are seen through his interactions with Ophelia, Hamlet, Laertes, Reynaldo and the King.

Another instance where Polonius is a comic relief is when Hamlet is inviting the players into the castle. One player breaks into an emotional speech at Hamlets whim and Polonius interrupts with comments. “Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good accent and/ Good discretion.”(IIii,447-448). Polonius is trying to commend the speaker to hasten him. After the speech keeps going on Polonius rudely interrupts with “This is too long”(IIii,478). As the player recites a part of the speech he becomes emotional with color and Polonius points it out. “Look whe’e he has not turned his color and has/ Tears in’s eyes.-Prithee, no more.”(IIii,499-500). Polonius is rude and pokes fun at the emotional speaker. His actions contrast with the player’s tragic speech emphasizing sorrow aspects of his speech.

Hamlet’s sanity has made many people question him. “Hamlet certainly displays a high degree of mania and instability throughout much of the play, but his “madness” is perhaps too purposeful and pointed

certain people he acts certain ways. Hamlet appears to act mad when he hears of his

(136) This soliloquy is very important because it demonstrates Hamlet’s anger at himself and Claudius, and how

Question 1 The best description for Polonius would be how shrewd and senile he was. He did want the best for both of his children but he did it in the worst manners. “See you now your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth.” (2.1, 69-70)

In order to determine whether or not Hamlet is truly mad, it is crucial to first define the term 'madness'. According to the Oxford dictionary, madness is "a state of having a serious mental illness, extremely foolish behavior, or a state of wild and chaotic behavior". Initially, Hamlet is in fact the exact opposite, and it can be inferred that Hamlet is not mad. However, Hamlet's ability to make decisive decisions and maintain stable thoughts significantly weakens, proving that he is mentally unsound. A string of tragic events overtake Hamlet's mind, and in turn his character develops and transforms into a mad man as is portrayed through his erratic behavior towards Ophelia, his apparent hallucination in the form of his father's ghost, and

     Hamlet is in a situation where his sanity is turning into insanity. He is like one of those people who tell so many lies that they start believing their own lies. Hamlet’s acting is so vivid to him that, unconsciously,

As demonstrated throughout the play, Hamlet’s madness is evident whether real or fake. In his own words, “I am mad but north-north-west: / When the wind southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw” (II. ii. 377-78). Hamlet is claiming that he is frequently seen as crazy. However, he claims that he can choose the moments to be mad. Hamlet is speaking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern stating that Hamlet knows what Rosencrantz and Guildenstern plan to do. The reader is again asked to consider whether Hamlet is faking his madness or whether he is, in fact, mad. In a monologue, he says, “How strange or odd some’er I bear / myself / As I perchance hereafter shall think / meet / To pit an antic disposition on” (I. V. 190- 92). The death of Hamlet’s father is something Hamlet cannot

king and queen that Hamlet’s madness comes from his love for Ophelia. Hamlet senses that

Throughout the course of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, tragedy in five acts Polonius is proven to have a hand in the functions of the monarchy. He continuously observes the goings-on in the castle, reports back to the king and tried to manipulate people under command of the king. At the end of Act III Polonius is murdered by Hamlet, which represents the coming fall of the monarchy. Polonius is initially introduced to us in Act I as being in charge of Hamlet’s love interest, Ophelia. He uses Ophelia in an attempt to manipulate Hamlet in Act II, and to expose his true reason for insanity.

When a clever man is on a mission, it is best not to get in the way of said man. Especially if the said man is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, who possesses a sharp tongue and is quick-witted. One brave soul who spoke to the seemingly mad Hamlet was the ever oblivious Polonius. Hamlet’s grand scheme is to make himself appear mad to those in the court as a way to get his revenge on the murder of his beloved father. Polonius, unknowing the plans of Hamlet, theorizes that the Lord Hamlet is mad for the love for his daughter Ophelia.

As with many plays, actors in Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, are at liberty to alter the portrayal of their characters. Because of this, the significance and subtleties of various characters can be lost in varying adaptations of the play. This holds true for the character Polonius, who is often incorrectly portrayed as a oblivious and foolish yet caring father. Rather, Shakespeare implicitly and explicitly establishes Polonius as a character in full control of his wits. Polonius’ interaction with other characters throughout the play highlights his cunning, wit, and selfishness.

   As a secondary character, Polonius' roles in Hamlet are ingenious in their variety and purpose. Shakespeare's masterfully crafted play contains such a multi-faceted character in a sense of economy; Polonius fulfills the roles potentially played by several insignificant characters. Polonius plays the wise old man, the fool, the substitute for the king, and the scapegoat (Oakes). Shakespeare's reasons behind the creation of such a significant secondary character are important to the play as a whole. Polonius roles add a crucial dimension to the play's development of plot, the characterization of Hamlet, and the themes Shakespeare ultimately conveys.