Polonius

Concerned father and sincere courtier (Act I)

Polonius waits patiently as Claudius, the newly crowned king of Denmark, addresses the court alongside his queen, Gertrude, the widow of Old Hamlet and formerly Claudius’s sister-in-law. However, the first time Polonius speaks, his opinion is sought not as a political adviser but as a father. When Laertes, Polonius’s son, requests the king’s permission to return to France for his studies, Claudius asks if Polonius consents to this request. Polonius supports his son but is cautious in admitting it since such a decision requires the king’s approval, particularly in the current time of political transition. To show deference to Claudius, he claims that he has agreed to it only after much deliberation and only because Laertes repeatedly begged him. Polonius then formally seeks Claudius’s permission, which the king grants.

A widower, Polonius has raised his two children on his own and is deeply concerned for them. As Laertes prepares to sail for France, Polonius is anxious that he might miss his ship. Yet Polonius halts Laertes to deliver a long monologue full of advice and platitudes on how Laertes should conduct himself in life and abroad. The speech concludes with:

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The Literary World (Characters Quiz)

This above all: to thine own self be true;
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee.

As Laertes bids farewell, Polonius turns his attention to his daughter, Ophelia. When she reveals that Prince Hamlet has been paying her close attention, Polonius becomes alarmed and annoyed. He immediately launches into a stern lecture, warning her against forming an attachment to Hamlet. Insisting that she is a naive young girl (“think yourself a baby”), he says that Hamlet’s attentions are nothing but a young man’s fleeting fancy and that she should not be so gullible. He orders her to avoid Hamlet entirely:

these blazes, daughter,
Giving more light than heat, extinct in both,
Even in their promise, as it is a-making,
You must not take for fire. From this time
Be something scanter of your maiden presence.

Devising a strategy (Act II)

Polonius cannot rest from his fatherly duties and worries. While keeping a watchful eye on Ophelia, he sends a man named Reynaldo to spy on Laertes to track his conduct in France. Ophelia then informs him that Hamlet has visited her in a disheveled state, behaving strangely. Ophelia’s account convinces Polonius that Hamlet’s love for her has driven him mad. As a dutiful subject, he promptly informs the king and queen about these developments. He recounts in detail Hamlet’s interactions with Ophelia and the letter the prince sent her. But the counselor is careful to assert to the royal couple that he has warned Ophelia not to encourage Hamlet, especially since he is far above her socially. His conclusion is that Hamlet has fallen into a melancholic sadness because Ophelia has rejected him. Polonius then devises a scheme to confirm the truth by using Ophelia as bait. He plans for Ophelia to “accidentally” encounter Hamlet when the prince is out walking, while Claudius and Polonius watch them secretly. However, before the plan is executed, Polonius has a conversation with Hamlet. As he observes Hamlet, he senses that there is a deliberate pattern to Hamlet’s irrational behavior and is convinced that the prince’s odd actions and words are calculated. Polonius observes:

Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.

Things fall apart (Act III)

Anticipating where Hamlet might be found, Polonius sets up the scene carefully. He instructs Ophelia to walk in a convenient spot and pretend to read a book. Claudius hides nearby with Polonius to eavesdrop on the encounter, but once Hamlet leaves, the two men differ in their interpretations of his peculiar behavior. Whereas Claudius feels the cause is not as simple as lovesickness, Polonius remains convinced that “neglected love” has distressed Hamlet. Claudius plans to send Hamlet on an errand to England to divert his mind, but Polonius insists that they should first allow Gertrude to talk to Hamlet. After informing Hamlet that the queen wishes to speak with him, Polonius shares another scheme with Claudius: He shall hide behind a tapestry in Gertrude’s chamber so that he can listen to the conversation between mother and son from a position of advantage, little expecting that this suggestion will lead to serious consequences. He says that he agrees with Claudius’s recommendation that someone besides a mother, who is likely to be biased toward her child, should overhear what Hamlet says. As the discussion in Gertrude’s room becomes heated, Gertrude feels threatened by Hamlet and cries out in fear. Hearing Gertrude’s alarmed tone, Polonius reacts from his hiding place. Hamlet hears him and, thinking it is Claudius, thrusts his sword through the tapestry and kills Polonius.