This is a more than a bit hypocritical, and Polonius, just babbling on, comments that "with devotion's visage / And pious action we do sugar o'er / The devil himself" … 'Good sir,' or so, or 'friend,' or 'gentleman,' Something: where did I leave? As an unmarried daughter, Ophelia has no choice but to "obey," and she does. SCENE I. What said he? Ophelia is not the mastermind behind the plan, but she willingly participates. . Rebecca Smith on Polonius actions. As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working, Mark you. For out o' doors he went without their helps, And, to the last, bended their light on me. Mark you, your party in converse, him you would sound, Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes, 'Good sir,' or so, or 'friend,' or 'gentleman,', And then, sir, does he this--he does--what was I, At 'closes in the consequence,' at 'friend or so,'. And, to the last, bended their light on me. These Mr. [J. M.] Robertson believes to be scenes in the original play of Kyd reworked by a third hand, perhaps [George] Chapman, before Shakespeare touched the play. Addicted so and so:' and there put on him Look you, sir, Mad for thy love? At 'closes in the consequence,' ay, marry; Hamlet. And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy! 'And in part him; but' you may say 'not well: Addicted so and so:' and there put on him, What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank, But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips. Good my lord. 1.3.133-135 Without considering what Ophelia wanted, Polonius decided it would be Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him; REYNALDO I will, my lord. He seem'd to find his way without his eyes; Trained his daughter to be obedient and chaste and is able to use her as a piece of bait for spying. Claudius, as he appears in the play, is not a criminal...He is..a good and gentle king, enmeshed by the chain of causality linking him with his crime . And leads the will to desperate undertakings What said he? OPHELIA The happiness of Polonius’s family is reflected in his children’s reaction to his murder. Ophelia reminds Laertes that he is a hypocrite in his advice as he ‘recks not his own rede’ in England, and Polonius alludes to the same of Hamlet who ‘with a larger tether may walk’. Well, my lord. Probably because the love of her life, Hamlet, kills her own father! Answer: Polonius uses Ophelia as bait in order to determine the validity of Hamlet's madness. Whose violent property fordoes itself Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth: ... Polonius’s daughter Ophelia enters afterwards and tells Polonius that Hamlet visited her in what was clearly a highly disturbed state. As it is common for the younger sort Hamlet Act II Scene II: Who speaks and to whom in the following lines? At 'closes in the consequence,' ay, marry; Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced; Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other; Come, go with me: I will go seek the king. Act 1, Scene 3 brevity is … What company, at what expense; and finding My lord, I do not know; If Polonius was a … Claudius trying to kill brother to be king (inferior) Polonius tries to talk more to sound smart even if he’s not (inferior) Motivates by feelings of inferiority - to better ourselves Hamlet feels inferior to Laertes and Fortinbras because they are ready to kill Ophelia doesn’t make decisions for herself. Polonius is protective of both his children, to the point of being possessive and overbearing. . Shall you my son. No, my good lord, but, as you did command, Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO Scene I. Shakespeare's View of the Child Actors Through, Seneca's Tragedies and the Elizabethan Drama. Essentially, Ophelia has no control over her body, her relationships, or her choices. At 'closes in the consequence,' at 'friend or so,' A room in POLONIUS' house. REYNALDO 'And in part him; but' you may say 'not well: But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips. That does afflict our natures. (2.2), Soliloquy I shall, my lord. Natalie Au 2-1 2 quotes from Act 4 "I'll have prepared him a chalice for the nonce" Claudius is eager to kill Hamlet. With the advent of feminist criticism in the 1970s, Ophelia as subject gained and has continued a rise in status in scholarly inquiry. LORD POLONIUS Additionally, with aid of Polonius, he uses Ophelia as ‘bait’ to "judge/And gather by [Hamlet], as he is behaved.” To lack discretion. REYNALDO She’s unsure as to whether he loves her, is tricking her, or is in psychological distress. 'Tis told me he hath very oft of late Given private time to you, and you yourself Have of your audience been most free and bounteous. LORD POLONIUS No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd, Quotes; Forums; Search; Periods & Movements; Quizzes; Summaries; Subscriber Login; Literature Network » William Shakespeare » Hamlet » Act 2. Polonius uses Ophelia as bait in his attempt to find out more about Hamlet when he “looses” her on him (Hamlet2.2.162). And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy! Ophelia: ‘Piteous in purport’, ‘piteous and profound’ Ophelia’s description … 4 Polonius, fictional character, councillor to King Claudius and the father of Ophelia and Laertes in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet (written c. 1599–1601). Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth: ... Polonius’s daughter Ophelia enters afterwards and tells Polonius that Hamlet visited her in what was clearly a highly disturbed state. I would know that. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling, 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge, That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly. After a lengthy speech about why Ophelia can't trust anything Hamlet says or promises (including any and all "vows" of love), Polonius orders Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet. OPHELIA REYNALDO Claudius says “We have closely sent for Hamlet hither, / That he as ‘twere by accident, may here / Affront Ophelia”(III. To youth and liberty. Hamlet’s loneliness, false friends, and betrayals cause his downfall to a great extent. Polonius is even willing to use Ophelia as bait in order to help the king spy on Hamlet. REYNALDO Scene Two 1. Before you visit him, to make inquire In spite of Hamlet’s behavior (“go to the nunnery” etc. For example, Claudius suggests Hamlet is honest when he and Laertes are discussing their dual scheme; Ophelia believes … In Act II, … Marry, sir, here's my drift; Polonius is King Claudius’s advisor and Ophelia and Laertes’s father. Come, go we to the king: This must be known; which, being kept close, might. Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo. And let him ply his music. What does Polonius believe is causing Hamlet’s madness? Polonius and Ophelia His Contribution To Her Downfall "I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth / Have you so slander any moment leisure / As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet." As he would draw it. O, my lord, my lord, I have been so affrighted! And thrice his head thus waving up and down, LORD POLONIUS 2 Educator answers. . Polonius hides and gracelessly listens to the young couple’s conversation. In this scene, though Hamlet is not present, Polonius and Ophelia form a kind of anti-familial unit. Ophelia’s own ‘outrage’ at this is eventually verbalized, in her madness when she sings ‘Young men…They are to blame’. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, When Polonius sees that Hamlet has gone mad, he thinks it is the result of Ophelia’s lack of affection. Enter OPHELIA Than your particular demands will touch it: Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him; As thus, 'I know his father and his friends. How now, Ophelia! In his famously salty essay “Hamlet and His Problems” (1919), he doubts that it was even written entirely by Shakespeare: And finally there are unexplained scenes—the Polonius-Laertes and the Polonius-Reynaldo scenes—for which there is little excuse; these scenes are not in the verse style of [Thomas] Kyd, and not beyond doubt in the style of Shakespeare. Rosencrantz happily informs the King and Queen that Hamlet is pretty excited about the players who've just arrived at the castle. But truly, I do fear it. He ordered, “Ophelia, walk you here…read on this book” (Shakespeare 125; 127). … LORD POLONIUS By heaven, it is as proper to our age Long stay'd he so; Exeunt. Presumptuous, self-absorbed, and fixated on status, he serves as comic relief when the story becomes dark. REYNALDO No, my good lord, but, as you did command, I am sorry that with better heed and judgment. Polonius uses Ophelia as a pawn and manipulates her to get information from Hamlet. REYNALDO This also references the contextual fear that love for a woman could drive a man mad, lovesick. LORD POLONIUS: What said he? LORD POLONIUS You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo. Describe in full Hamlet’s behavior that ophelia describes as frightening to her father Polonius. So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet. Mad for thy love? (1.3.129-145) After a lengthy speech about why Ophelia can't trust anything Hamlet says or promises (including any and all "vows" of love), Polonius orders Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet. Polonius: ‘You bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth’ metaphor, suggest using a lie to get the truth, Polonius is unethical, deception. My lord, I have. 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