Polonius: a madman in Shakespeare's HamletHamlet is the most popular of Shakespeare's plays for theater audiences and readers. It has been performed live in countries around the world and has been translated into all languages. Polonius is one of the main characters in Hamlet, his role in the play is of great interest to scholars. Parts of Hamlet present Polonius as a fool, whose love of his own voice leads him to stammer constantly. Scholars have analyzed the character of Polonius for centuries, and his role in Hamlet will continue to be analyzed for centuries to come. Scholars believe that Shakespeare created Polonius as a fool because of his foolish dialogues throughout the play. Polonius granted Laertes permission to return to school in France. While saying goodbye to his rooms, Polonius says to his son: be careful not to get into a quarrel, but, once inside, take care that your adversaries may beware of you. Give heed to all but a few your voice. He accepts every man's censure, but reserves his judgment. Your dress is as expensive as your purse can buy it, but not expressed in fancy (rich, not showy) as the clothing often proclaims the man, and in France those of the best rank and position (are) a very select garment and generous in that. Neither a borrower nor a lender (be) to (lend) often loses himself and friend, and borrowing (blunts the) edge of agriculture. This above all: be true to yourself, and it will follow, as night does day, that you will not be able to be false to anyone. (1. 3. 71-87) The advice that Polonius gives to Laertes is simple and it seems foolish to tell it to a person of Laertes' age. Martin Orkin comments on the nature of Polonius' speech: 2 “Shakespeare's first audience would recognize in Polonius' predilection for such banal expressions of worldly wisdom a mind running along conventional tracks, sticking only to what is practically useful in terms of the worldly self . advancement” (Orkin179). Polonius gives Laertes simple advice, to keep his thoughts to himself and never lend or borrow money. While this advice is simple, when viewed in full context, his advice to his son is about personal advancement. Polonius will do everything to protect his reputation. Grebanier states about the silliness of Polonius' speech: “Such guidance will do well for those who wish to make the world their… paper medium… Speare has created Polonius as a truly unique and complex character. Scholars debate and will continue to debate the reasons for Polonius' foolishness. Throughout the play Polonius tends to act foolishly thinking he knows the reason for Hamlet's madness, while the audience knows he is wrong. Shakespeare created Polonius as a controversial character and only he will ever know why Polonius was created so foolish. Bibliography Works Cited Grebanier, Bernardo. Hamlet's heart. New York: Thomas Y. Cromwell Co, 1960. Hartwig, Joan. “Polonius Parodico”. Texas Studies in Literature and Language: Vol. 13, 1971. Kirschbaum, Leo. Character and characterization in Shakespeare. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1962. Oakes, Elizabeth. "Polonius, the Man Behind the Arras: A Jungian Study." New essays on Hamlet. New York: AMS Press, 1994. Orkin, Martin. “Hamlet and the Security of the South African State.” Critical essays on Shakespeare's Hamlet. New York: G. K. Hall and Co, 1995. Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. New York: Washington Square Press published by Pocket Books, 1992. States, Bert O. Hamlet and the Concept of Character. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP,1992.