POLONIUS CHARACTERISATION- WHO IS POLONIUS? Flashcards

(10 cards)

1
Q

Polonius name signficance?

A

Possibly derived from ‘Polonus’ (Latin for Pole or Polish)
Pole- suggests centrality or balance (irony)
Polish- Foreigness or political irrelvance (Denmark’s rival).

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2
Q

Relationships to other characters?

A
  • Father to Ophelia and Laertes: His controlling nature affects both of his children.
    Ophelia- Dictates her interactions with Hamlet (patriachal control)
    Laertes- Offers moralistic but hypocritical advice (“Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice”)
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3
Q

Role in plot?

A
  • Advisor to Claudius - Represents the old political order—corrupt, meddling, and out of touch.
  • Minor antogonist- Incites Hamlet’s feigned madness by pressuring Ophelia to spurn him.
  • Plot device- His death (behind the arras) is pivotal, leading to Ophelia’s madness and Laertes’s revenge.
  • Comic Relief: Verbose speeches (“Brevity is the soul of wit” while rambling) mock courtly pretension.
  • Foil character to Hamlet- his foolishness juxaposes Hamlet’s intellectual depth/ represents what Hamlet could become.
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4
Q

What is the senex archetype?

A
  • Jungian archetype/ classical literary archetype
  • Wise old man who embodies wisdom and jugdement
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5
Q

What is the senex iratus archetype?

A
  • Stock character from classical mythology- a foolish old man who irrationally opposes the love of a young couple
  • Hoards power and fears youth
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6
Q

What is the Freudian Father complex?

A

A domineering father who stifles individuation, leading to rebellion or collapse (e.g., Laertes’ rage, Ophelia’s breakdown).

Counterpart to the psychoanalytical devouring mother!

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7
Q

Does he embody any literary archetypes?

A
  • Subversion of the Senex archetype (wise old man
  • Senex Iratus archetype (senile old man)
  • The Tyrant Father archetype/ Freudian Father complex.
  • The Spy’s Fate: His death behind the arras (Act 3.4) symbolizes how corrupt schemers are undone by their own tricks.

Possible a more subtle version of the Shakespearean fool.

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8
Q

Political context and Polonius?

A
  • Renaissance Machiavellianism- Polonius embodies the ruthless pragmatism of Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513). His line “By indirections find directions out” mirrors Machiavelli’s advice that rulers must use deceit to maintain power.
  • Corruption in Elizabethan Courts: Shakespeare satirizes real courtiers who flattered Queen Elizabeth I while jockeying for influence. Polonius’s sycophancy mirrors their hollow rhetoric.
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9
Q

Social Context: Patriarchy & Exploitation?

A

Ophelia as a Pawn: Polonius’s treatment of Ophelia reflects Renaissance gender norms. Fathers controlled daughters’ marriages for political gain.

Laertes’ Surveillance: Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on Laertes in Paris (Act 2, Scene 1), showing how aristocratic families policed their heirs to protect reputations.

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10
Q

Religious Context: Hypocrisy & Judgment

A

False Piety: Polonius invokes God (“I hold my duty as I hold my soul”) while lying, mirroring Protestant critiques of corrupt clergy in Shakespeare’s time.

Divine Justice: His sudden death (without confession) hints at moral reckoning for his sins.

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