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1. 
   ray-eston-smith-jr

   Shakespeare puts method in Polonius' foolishness.

   Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
   For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
   And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

   Although Laertes is satisfied in nature with Hamlet’s repentance, he continues the fatal duel until by some elder masters (Claudius) he has a voice and precedence of peace. Thus he is fighthing not for himself but for a cause borrowed from Claudius.

    

   When Laertes allied himself with Claudius he dulled the edge of his husbandry ("And for my means, I'll husband them so well"). Then, in the subsequent duel with Hamlet, Laertes first wounded Hamlet with his poison-tipped sword, then accidently exchanged swords with Hamlet and was fatally poisoned with his own sword. Thus he was a borrower and lender of swords, and was killed by a lent sword while fighting for a borrowed cause.

   POLONIUS

   "I have found the very cause of Hamlet's lunacy."

   .....................

   "What majesty should be, what duty is,.."

   That was exactly the cause of Hamlet's "lunacy" - he was glowing with "borrowed sheen"  reflecting the warlike values of his father (who'd compared himself to Hyperion, the sun god). It was lunacy for Hamlet to let his filial duty lead him to follow his warlike father, the "buried majesty of Denmark," in the path of violence - "being so majestical, to offer ... the show of violence."

   And then of course Polonius summed up the main theme of the play:

   "This above all: to thine ownself be true."

   - Ray Eston Smith Jr

   PS The idea that Polonius was a fool was started by Shakespeare. In the middle of a long, rambling speech, Polonius said (wisely) that "brevity is the soul of wit." But Polonius was anything but brief, ergo he was witless in his wisdom.

   Hamlet (mocking Polonius:

   POLONIUS
   The actors are come hither, my lord.
   HAMLET
   Buz, buz!
   POLONIUS
   Upon mine honour,--
   HAMLET
   Then came each actor on his ass,--

   Hamlet to the players (knowing how mockable Polonius was):
   Very well. Follow that lord; and look you mock him
   not.
   
   Hamlet (describing Polonius after accidentally killing him):
   ...Who was in life a foolish prating knave

   Sources:

   http://academia.wikia.com/wiki/Motifs_in_Hamlet

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   Posted by ray-eston-smith-jr on Thursday April 16, 2009 at 6:53 AM
   
   

2. 
   jillyfish Student
   Doctorate

   There is a persistent idea (started by the Victorians) that Polonius is a bumbling fool. This doesn't work at all for me. Polonius is a highly intelligent political thinker. For example, his advice to Reynaldo on how to monitor Laertes's wild behaviour is magnificent and brilliant. His advice to Ophelia about love and sex is very accurate.

   So, while waiting for Laertes ship to depart, Polonius has a couple of minutes to tell him how to live well. His brief advice is shrewd and parental. He tells Laertes to think before he acts, listen more than talk, keep good friends close but don't worry about drinking buddies. Don't get in fights, watch your money, take care of your appearance, but don't be a peacock etc. All sensible stuff.

   Then he knocks out a Shakespearean pearl. "This above all, to thine own self be true." Most people seem to think 'to thine own self be true' just means 'be yourself' and obviously it does mean that. But I think Polonius (Shakespeare) is aiming much higher level than a trite 'hey... be the real you, kid'. He is really saying, "The person who lies to you the most often is... you. Be aware of the lies and distortions and half-truths that you tell yourself about yourself."

   To thine own self be true. Don't believe your own propaganda. Rationally observe yourself and be on the alert for the self-deceit that we all create.

   This is shrewd advice from a very clever man. Polonius is no fool.

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   Posted by jillyfish on Thursday April 16, 2009 at 7:13 AM