Polonius And Skepticism In Hamlet

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On Hamlet’s valiant quest to avenge his father’s death, he discovers how deceitful and hypocritical the adults of the kingdom are, and in response, he approaches situations with skepticism. Shakespeare first introduces adults in Hamlet as loving, wise souls, as illuminated by Polonius’ talk with his son Laertes, “This above all: to thine own self be true,/And it must follow, as the night the day,/Thou canst not then be false to any man” (I, iii, 84-86). Polonius offers this admirable and lofty, yet highly hypocritical, advice to his son Laertes prior to his return to university. Such pillars of integrity would be meaningful if Polonius himself adhered to the same sound principles. However, he later spies and lies in order to please King Claudius. …show more content…
He says, “At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him./Be you and I behind an arras then./Mark the encounter: if he love her not/… let me be no assistant for a state.” (II, ii, 160-162 164). Polonius’ words illuminate how truly hypocritical Polonius and Laertes are. They preach high virtues and honesty, yet hide and spy “behind an arras.” The humor that Shakespeare places in this is the irony that Polonius thinks he is so wise to hide in the shadows and “mark [Hamlet’s] encounter” and then he ultimately gets caught up in all this lying and deceit and ends up dying behind an “arras” observing the “encounter” between Hamlet and Gertrude. Regardless, the adults in Hamlet’s life use trickery and dupery to advance their own agenda’s. This diminishes Hamlet’s respect for and trust of
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