Hamlet Polonius Quotes

College Essay: If You Could Meet Anyone, Who Would It Be and Why - Polonius of

Hamlet

Polonius, father of Laertes, in William Shakespear's Hamlet, strikes me as someone exceptional. In the first act, he gives advice to his son who is departing on a journey. Polonius's advice guides me in almost every aspect of my life. I would like to talk with Polonius to gain more insight on life.

Along with other advice, Polonius delivers one of te most famous quotes from

Hamlet: "To thine own self be true." Polonius's quote helps me make tough decisions. Such an occasion arises when I have weighed the advantages and disadvantages of a choice, and they are equal. When faced with this situation,

I ask myself, "would I be true to myself if I..." For example, I am temperate,

Occasionally, others try to influence me to drink. Sometimes, I am tempeted; however, I know that I would not be true to myself if I submitted.

I realize drinking is not somthing I want, nor is it in my best interest.

Being true to myself involves acting in accordance with my values. Imust conduct myself like a gentleman and use proper etiquette for te given situation.

Thus, the quote acts as a reminder for me to act properly. The next few lines are "and it must follow as the day the night, / thou canst not then be false to any man." By acting like a gentleman, I can assure muself that I will not harm nor create conlict with many people. For example, I remain calm in situations that most people would become upset and swear. Then, I am in a better position to deal with the would-be conflict.

Next, Polonius covers many aspects of life. He tells us how to choose and treat friends, as well as rules for listning and speaking. We are told not