POLONIUS’
ADVICE TO
HIS SON
(Hamlet - Act I, Scene III)
(Hamlet - Act I, Scene III)
• Hamlet’s father is dead ( in fact killed) Background
• His mother Gertrude marries his uncle Claudius hastily.
• Hamlet has come back to Denmark to mourn the death of his father King Hamlet.
• Laertes, the son of Polonius, has also come along with Hamlet. (Hamlet and Laertes studied in
the University of Wittenberg, Germany)
• Polonius is the Chief Counsellor of the king.
• It’s time for Laertes to go back to Wittenberg.
• The old man has some fatherly advices for his son.
Polonius’
Advice to
his son
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee.
Hamlet I, iii, 55-81
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
LORD POLONIUS Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, 70
Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame! 55 But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And you are stay’d for. There; my blessing with thee! And they in France of the best rank and station
And these few precepts in thy memory Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, Neither a borrower nor a lender be; 75
Nor any unproportioned thought his act. 60 For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, This above all: to thine ownself be true,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; And it must follow, as the night the day,
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Thou canst not then be false to any man. 80
Of each new-hatch’d, unfledged comrade. Beware 65 Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame! 55
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,
And you are stay’d for. There; my blessing with thee!
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
And these few precepts in thy memory
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act. 60
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch’d, unfledged comrade. Beware 65
Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee.
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, 70
But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Neither a borrower nor a lender be; 75
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man. 80
Polonius’ Advice to Laertes
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!
Polonius’ • Tone – Didactic / Patronizing
• Father-Son Relationship
Advice to • Blessings (Biblical Meaning)
his son
