Polonius
A caring father or a self-obsessed deceiver?
Polonius
Position:
• A father to Ophelia and Laertes
• The kings right hand man
Characteristics:
Persistent- Continuously tries to prove Hamlet is crazy
Two-Faced- Seems to be caring for others, but is
completely self-centered
Question
• Is Polonius – a caring father or a self-obsessed
deceiver?
Thesis
• Polonius is not a caring father, but a self-obsessed
deceiver.
• He achieves his personal goal of protecting his
reputation through acts of deception towards others
and setting traps.
Evidence
Laertes
“The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, And you are
stayed for. There-my blessing with thee,” (1.3.57-58)
Evidence
Laertes
• In this scene Polonius portrays himself as:
•
•
•
•
Caring
Understanding
Respectful (towards Laertes)
Overall he was very “parent” like
BUT…
Evidence
Laertes
He sets his trap.
“Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris, And how,
and who, what means, and where they keep, What
company, at what expense; and finding by this
encompassment and drift of question that they do know
my son,” (2.1.7-10)
“Before you visit him, to make inquire of his behavior.”
(2.1.4)
Evidence
Laertes
• Polonius shows his true colours:
•
•
•
•
Shows that he’s obsessive about his reputation
Controlling
Deceiving
Untrustworthy
Evidence
Ophelia
• Polonius uses Ophelia to deceive Hamlet to ultimately
get his ways.
• In multiple acts Polonius:
•
•
•
•
Uses Ophelia for personal gain
Invades her privacy and reads her personal letters aloud
Uses her to protect his reputation
Uses her to prove that Hamlet has gone crazy
Evidence
Ophelia
“Marry, I will teach you. Think yourself a, baby,
That you have ta’en these tenders for true pay,
Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more
dearly, Or (not to crack the wind of the poor
phrase), Tend’ring it thus you’ll tender me a fool.”
(1.3. 104. 109)
• Polonius is talking to Ophelia about her
relationship with Hamlet
• Does not support her, just says she is crazy to
believe what he says is true
• Says he will be a laughing-stock
Evidence
Ophelia
Polonius sets his trap to spy on Ophelia and Hamlet.
“At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him. Be you
and I behind an arras then, Mark the encounter. If he
love her not and be not from his reason fall’n thereon,
Let me be no assistant for a state but keep a farm and
carters.” (2.2.154.159)”
• Polonius is talking to the King
•Makes an unofficial “bet” that Hamlet is love crazy for
Ophelia and will prove it by spying on the two of them.
• Uses her to prove the King
Evidence
Hamlet
“Away, I do beseech you, both away. I’ll board him
presently. O, give me leave.” (2.2. 162.163)
• Polonius tries to set another trap, but on Hamlet
• Does not work as Hamlet knows what he was doing
“ You cannot, sir, take from me any thing that I will
more willingly part withal- except my life, except my
life, except my life.
Analysis
Do you think Polonius’ contributes to Ophelia’s
madness? Do you think his deception leads to it? Why?
Analysis
Do you think Polonius’ caring father characteristic is a
façade?
Analysis
Why is it that you think Polonius is so obsessed with his
daughters love-life?
To Conclude
• To conclude, we believe that Polonius is a self-obsessed
deceiver, and not a caring father. He deceives both his
children, and attempts to deceive Hamlet. He deceives
Laertes by telling him to enjoy himself at university,
but then sends a spy to check up on him. He deceives
Ophelia by using her to prove his point, and protect his
reputation. Lastly, he tries to deceive Hamlet by
attempting to set a trap for him to fall into to prove his
point. Overall, Polonius is only worried about himself,
and his reputation, and no one else.