3.5.2
Polonius' Spying & Death
Polonius' Spying & Death
Polonius' Spying & Death
Polonius’ insistence on Hamlet’s “lunacy” being caused by “the very ecstasy of love” shows his stubbornness (he will not change his mind), but also his lack of judgement.
Views on Hamlet's "distemper"
Views on Hamlet's "distemper"
- Polonius and Gertrude both correctly suspect that there is more to Hamlet’s “distemper” than mere disappointment in love.
Reliance on spying
Reliance on spying
- Much of Polonius’ skill as a politician seems to lie in the ‘dark art’ of espionage.
- His reliance on spying or eavesdropping perhaps accounts for how so pompous and occasionally foolish a man has achieved such prominence at court – he is perhaps able to acquire more information than any of his competitors. Eventually, however, Polonius’ eavesdropping will cost him his life.
Hamlet's epitaph for Polonius
Hamlet's epitaph for Polonius
- Hamlet provides an epitaph for Polonius which many audience members will agree with: “a most foolish prating knave”.
- The final indignity for Polonius is that his dead body is unceremoniously lugged out of Gertrude’s chamber and the whereabouts of his body is later turned into some sport between Hamlet and Rosencrantz.
1Introduction
2Plot Summary
2.1Act 1: Key Events & Ideas
2.2Act 2: Key Events & Ideas
2.3Act 3: Key Events & Ideas
2.4Act 4: Key Events & Ideas
2.5Act 5: Key Events & Ideas
3Character Profiles
3.1Hamlet
3.3Gertrude
3.4Ophelia
4Key Themes
4.1Regicide in Hamlet
4.2Madness in Hamlet
4.3Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet
4.4Settings in Hamlet
5Writing Techniques
6Context
6.1Social & Historical Context
6.2Literary Context
6.3Performance & Textual History
7Critical Debates
7.118-19th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.220th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.3Feminist Readings of Hamlet
7.4Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet
Jump to other topics
1Introduction
2Plot Summary
2.1Act 1: Key Events & Ideas
2.2Act 2: Key Events & Ideas
2.3Act 3: Key Events & Ideas
2.4Act 4: Key Events & Ideas
2.5Act 5: Key Events & Ideas
3Character Profiles
3.1Hamlet
3.3Gertrude
3.4Ophelia
4Key Themes
4.1Regicide in Hamlet
4.2Madness in Hamlet
4.3Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet
4.4Settings in Hamlet
5Writing Techniques
6Context
6.1Social & Historical Context
6.2Literary Context
6.3Performance & Textual History
7Critical Debates
7.118-19th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.220th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.3Feminist Readings of Hamlet
7.4Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet
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