Hamlet Polonius Character Analysis

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Thank you for giving me this opportunity to audition for a position in your company, Shake&Stir. I will be auditioning for the role of Polonius, using a unique perpsective of the character developed from my alternative reading of the Hamlet. Polonius’ character is silenced throughout the play, quite literally when he gets stabbed by Hamlet, and his true intentions were never denoted. My performance is derived from two events within Act 2 Scene 1 of the play; his furtive request for Reynaldo to spy on Laertes, and his reaction to his Ophelia’s story.
Hiding behind a mask is a common theme in Hamlet. We can see this through various characters throughout the play; Claudius questioning Laertes’ love for his father, Claudius himself in his interactions …show more content…
I believe that Polonius, likewise, has his own ulterior motives, that being the attainment of power and his climb up the political ladder.
Throughout Hamlet, Polonius seems to be very self-aware, and scarily draws many parallels with that of a Machiavellian. The term is usually linked with infamous dictators like Joseph Stalin, but I believe that Polonius also possesses Machiavellian traits, albeit to a much lesser degree. It describes ones disregard for morality and is instead replaced by a desire for personal gain. Modern day political figures also exhibit these traits, so I decided to represent Polonius as the most polarizing political figure in modern society, Donald …show more content…
Donald Trump, like Polonius, is widely regarded as a fool, however I believe that Trump is also playing the game. Regardless of what you think of Trump, his rise to political power is remarkable, and could not be done without thoughtful planning and scheming on his part. Trump’s ideals also indicate his lack of morality, his total disregard for commonly held ethics and principles. The use of a suit aims to reflect on Polonius’ formal status and his situation of power. The use of the suit, however, is also manipulated to match each personality in the monologue. His call with Reynaldo fashions a neatly tailored suit, representing his seriousness and businesslike behaviour. In his expression of madness, he discards the formality of his suit and throws away his suit jacket; a metaphor for his disregard of morals and principles. In his instructions with Ophelia, he re-establishes his façade, fixing the form of his suit, but maintains some element of informality that positions Ophelia and the audience to further view him as a fool. The use of a wig aims to mimic the hair of Donald Trump, but also mocks Donald Trump for his own use of a wig. It is used as a comedic relief in that it both pokes fun at the infamous political leader, in addition to extenuating Polonius’ foolish
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