What is Polonius role?

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Polonius' pre-occupation with his courtly duties overshadows his character as the wise old man and marks his role as the fool. As the fool, Polonius provides comic relief, and a "busybody" messenger for the court. His speech, for all its wisdom, "makes him so comic and absurd.



Moreover, what is the role of Polonius in Hamlet?

Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. He is chief counsellor of the play's villain, Claudius, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia.

Also, what is Polonius personality? A Danish lord, Polonius is the father of Laertes and Ophelia. And he's exactly the kind of dad who's so embarrassing that you don't even want to bring friends to meet him: he's self-absorbed, long-winded, and dull.

Keeping this in consideration, what does Polonius symbolize?

Polonius was King Hamlet's loyal servent, well liked and trusted by King Hamlet, Gertrude and Hamlet. But his loyalty to King and Prince Hamlet is limited. If Polonius was actually loyal to King Hamlet, then he would have never supported the deceitful, murderous Claudius.

How is Polonius selfish?

Polonius is selfish, suspicious, and uncaring. Polonius is asking his son to be honorable and virtuous. Polonius is hypocritical for giving his son this advice because he is not trusting of his own son. After his son leaves, he sends Reynaldo to follow Laertes to Paris to find out how he is conducting himself.

38 Related Question Answers Found

What is the meaning of Polonius?

Definition of Polonius. : a garrulous courtier and father of Ophelia and Laertes in Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Does Hamlet love Ophelia?

Hamlet really did love Ophelia, and tells Laertes, “Be buried quick with her, and so will I” (V.i.296). Hamlet shows his love for Ophelia when he confesses to her that he loves her, when he tells her to go to a nunnery to protect her, when he sends her the letter, and when he finds out that she has died.

How would you describe Polonius advice to his son?

Polonius tells his son, "Give every man thy ear but few thy voice," which means Laertes should listen more and talk less (1.3.

What kind of man is Polonius?

A Danish lord, Polonius is the father of Laertes and Ophelia. And he's exactly the kind of dad who's so embarrassing that you don't even want to bring friends to meet him: he's self-absorbed, long-winded, and dull.

Why did Hamlet kill Polonius?


Hamlet believed that Claudius was spying on him from behind the tapestry and hoped to kill his unscrupulous uncle. Overall, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius after mistaking him for King Claudius, who he believes is spying on him from behind the tapestry in Gertrude's chamber.

Why did Ophelia go mad?

Answer and Explanation: Ophelia goes mad in Hamlet because her father, Polonius, was murdered by Hamlet. His death alone would have been a tragedy; the fact that it occurred

What is Polonius definition of madness?

Polonius says the definition of being mad is being mad "your noble son is mad: / Mad call I it; for, to define true madness, / What is't but to be nothing else but mad? To what does Polonius attribute Hamlet's madness? Polonius claims that Hamlet's madness was caused by Ophelia not returning the love he gave her. 13.

Why does Polonius not like Hamlet?

As was mentioned in the previous post, Hamlet does not respect or admire Polonius throughout the play. He believes that Polonius is an old fool. When Polonius leaves the scene, Hamlet calls him a tedious old fool. Hamlet does not respect Polonius, because he is friends with King Claudius and acts like an idiot.

Is Polonius a good father?

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.

What is comical about Polonius?


What is comical about Polonius? Polonius is a hypocrite, he wants his son to be true to himself but he does not want his family name to be tarnished.

How do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern die?

When their ship is attacked by pirates, Hamlet returns to Denmark, leaving Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to die; he comments in Act V, Scene 2 that "They are not near my conscience; their defeat / Does by their own insinuation grow." Ambassadors returning later report that "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead."

Does Polonius deserve his fate?

Polonius meets his fate by being in the "wrong place at the wrong time," but he is in that place because of his plan to spy on Hamlet as he and Gertrude have a conversation in her private rooms. He claims to have the answer to Hamlet's madness when he says that Hamlet is mad because of Ophelia's rejection of him.

How does Hamlet end?

Laertes succeeds in wounding Hamlet, though Hamlet does not die of the poison immediately. Hamlet then stabs Claudius through with the poisoned sword and forces him to drink down the rest of the poisoned wine. Claudius dies, and Hamlet dies immediately after achieving his revenge.

What is the relationship between Polonius and Hamlet?

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius is the chief counselor to Claudius, as well as the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Polonius cares deeply for his children, which is why he's so overprotective. (Annoying!) Polonius is loyal to the King, where he makes an arrangement to spy on Hamlet.

What is your view of Polonius role in the play?


Scholars view Polonius as a character mocked throughout the play and the nature of his death, as the Kings substitute, lead scholars to view him as a fool. Throughout the play Polonius tends to act foolish thinking that he knows the reason for Hamlet's madness, while the audience knows that he is wrong.

Where is Laertes from?

Before Laertes returns to France from Denmark, returning to Denmark only to attend the coronation of King Claudius, his father, Polonius, gives him advice to behave himself in France.

What kind of man is Hamlet?

Shrouded in his inky cloak, Hamlet is a man of radical contradictions -- he is reckless yet cautious, courteous yet uncivil, tender yet ferocious.