Shakespeare A to Z | Polonius
Polonius is the lord chamberlain of Denmark, in the service of Claudius, the king in Hamlet. He is also the father of two other important characters: OPHELIA, who is the beloved of Prince Hamlet, and Laertes, who plays a part in the prince’s murder.
Polonius is a deceptive and hypocritical man, and his character is symptomatic of moral decay in the play. Convinced that Prince Hamlet’s love for Ophelia is merely lust, he forbids his daughter to speak to the prince. Later when Hamlet appears to be insane, Polonius uses his daughter to help the king discover what is troubling...
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