StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Polonius' speech to his son - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Whereas fathers have been giving their sons and daughters advice since the dawn of time, the advice that William Shakespeare’s character Polonius gave to his son Laertes upon the latter’s departure to pursue higher education in France is perhaps one of the most timeless and…
Download free paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94.9% of users find it useful
Polonius speech to his son
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Polonius' speech to his son"

Section/# Polonius Advice – Timeless Fatherly Counsel Whereas fathers have been giving their sons and daughters advice since the dawn of time, the advice that William Shakespeare’s character Polonius gave to his son Laertes upon the latter’s departure to pursue higher education in France is perhaps one of the most timeless and enduring of Hamlet’s soliloquies. As such, the soliloquy discusses a host of useful/sage fatherly advice imparted to a young man who is no doubt opinioned, impetuous, and likely to remember the advice that his father gave him only long after the benefit of the words could have effected key changes; nevertheless, the advice itself is timeless.

As a means of understanding this, this brief essay will attempt to point to the key factors that make Polonius’ speech as relevant to today’s youth, preparing to embark on their own destinies, as it was to the youths in Shakespeare’s own times. In this way, the advice that Polonius offers his son is a type of timeless advice that resonates with the youth of today as well as the youth long before Shakespeare’s time (Stimpson 97). Whereas people are often tempted to view societal conventions as outdated soon after they are formed, it is the belief of this author that the words used in Shakespeare’s rendition of Polonius’ speech do not represent societal conventions but rather the nature of humanity.

One of the first thoughts that Polonius attempts to convey to his son is that he should be slow to speak and quick to listen. Such an advice is nothing new; however, it is nonetheless relevant and important – especially for a likely opinionated young man embarking on higher education (Shakespeare 43). Similarly, Polonius goes on to warn against the danger of having a loose tongue and/or of giving oneself too easily to argument or confrontation. Likewise, the speech goes on to warn Laertes regarding the nature of friendship, the honor of simplicity, the necessity of frugality, and the ultimate glory of being honest and true to what one believes.

Regardless of the time that has passed since these words were penned, the nature of their instruction and the appropriate knowledge that they tend to impart to the reader helps him/her to understand that the counsel that Polonius gives to his son is truly as applicable today as it was to Shakespeare’s own time and own audience (Sterling 2).The fact of the matter is that the nature of these words of wisdom transcend the time in which they were written and have an almost magical ability to go beyond the bounds of Shakespeare’s drama and grasp at the very heart of the difficult transition that young individuals must make between childhood and adulthood.

In many aspects such a transition engenders fundamental choices with regards to morality, self esteem, identity, key choices, and values. As such, regardless of the era, the level of technological change, or societal evolution that has come to pass in the intervening hundreds of years since the speech itself was penned, the words themselves are still equally as applicable to the youth of today as they were in such a time as it was written. Works CitedShakespeare, William. Hamlet, 1718. London: Cornmarket P, 1969.

Stimpson, Catharine R. "Polonius, Our Pundit." American Scholar 71.4 (2002): 97. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.Sterling, Eric. "Shakespeares HAMLET." Explicator 60.1 (2001): 2. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Polonius' speech to his son Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Polonius' speech to his son Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/literature/1611621-polonius-speech-to-his-son
(Polonius' Speech to His Son Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
Polonius' Speech to His Son Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words. https://studentshare.org/literature/1611621-polonius-speech-to-his-son.
“Polonius' Speech to His Son Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/literature/1611621-polonius-speech-to-his-son.
  • Cited: 2 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Polonius' speech to his son

Explain this article in your own words (paraphrasing)- easy to follow, step by step

The issue of global warming is topical during the contemporary period and it can be noted that human activities such as agriculture significantly contribute to the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere.... As such, there are measures that can be implemented in order to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through various agricultural practices....
3 Pages (750 words) Speech or Presentation

External and Internal environment analysis: SONY

This research gives an overview of Porter's five-force model and gives the example of the implementation of these models at SONY.... Also, it investigates national and international environment (Macro-Business environment) and internal environment (Strengths and Weaknesses).... hellip; According to the research findings Sony's strengths come about as a result of its brand name which is easily recognisable; this has enabled it to capture a high consumer base....
5 Pages (1250 words) Speech or Presentation

Drug testing on welfare II

Lee Davidson, in his article, seems to be highly in favor of this legislation, often stating the opinions of those legislators who are promoting it.... Drug testing for welfare is a piece of legislation, which has been introduced in several states for preventing those individuals who are suspected of using drugs from receiving welfare....
3 Pages (750 words) Speech or Presentation

Benefits and shortcomings of getting this additional degree

Jose attends a local Community College, where he will shortly graduate with his Associate's degree in Graphic Design.... He has considered continuing his education to get another You must show your work on all problems.... Jose attends a local Community College, where he will shortly graduate with his Associate's degree in Graphic Design.... He has considered continuing his education to get another degree, hoping that he can use the combined degrees to get a job with a firm that designs websites for small businesses....
1 Pages (250 words) Speech or Presentation

Pre-Calculus

Let x = tan-1(-√3/3) = tan-1(-√3/3)x√3, hence tanx =-1/√3-3, tan2x=1/3√3, but 1+tan2x=sec2x, thus sec2x=1+1/3 =4/3, secx=1/cosx=2/(√3-3√3), but cos√3+ or -√3-3/2, which can be written as cosx = (√3-3)/2√3, hence x=π/6.... From the quadrant, cosine is negative… b.... cos-1(1), from the quadrant the value of cosine ranges from 0 to 4 π....
1 Pages (250 words) Speech or Presentation

Non profit organization excel

1 Pages (250 words) Speech or Presentation

What shall I Render unto God (psalm 116)

Serving the Lord by serving His creations and worshipping Him is how we can respond to his blessings through our bodies.... Spiritual needs: He sent no one but His only son for our salvation.... It can be… When the psalmist prayed to the God, He saved him from the suffering of his enemies (Psalm 116:8).... It can be interpreted from the reading that the psalmist is in pain and may be that pain is coming from his enemies (Psalm 116:4)....
2 Pages (500 words) Speech or Presentation

A concern on the rising cost of healthcare premiums

Even with the enactments of the congress, the premiums… Due to this, as a company we thought it wise to have those employees with chronic conditions and illnesses that are considered to be lifestyle-related such as obesity, effects of smoking, excessive alcohol use to The paper "A Concern on the Rising Cost of Healthcare Premiums" is an excellent example of a speech or presentation on business....
2 Pages (500 words) Speech or Presentation
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us