Comments on: Manvotional: A Father’s Advice From Hamlet

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:22:38 +0000

I actually have this tattooed on my right wrist in Theater short-hand. It raises a lot of questions, and approving looks from retired English teachers.

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By: Landon

Landon — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:08:56 +0000

Yeah, Polonius certainly isn’t the example of a good father…sending servants to spy on Laertes and assuming the worst about his son. It always strikes me as funny when people think Polonius a good source of advice.

And “to thine own self be true” has always struck me as a strange phrase. It is my grandfather’s life motto, but what does it even mean to be true to the self? What if the self is wicked? Wouldn’t it be better to be true to something greater and stronger than self (i.e. “be true to the right” or “be true to truth”)?

By: Rodney Hampton

Rodney Hampton — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:15:01 +0000

This is a great example of “do as I say, not as I do.”

By: scott

scott — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:19:06 +0000

Some of the best of advice comes from those who have learned the hard way. My children will loook upon me and be very wise…

By: Britt

Britt — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:24:43 +0000

Personally I take Polonius’ advice to heart… One of the important lessons is that good advice can come from anyone… Polonius was a liar, braggert, full of BS, but even so, he knew what a man should be, he merely didn’t exemplify that… But still strove to give his son good advice.

So the message I receive is not to confuse the man, with the words he speaks.

A good, smart, honorable man may give bad advice, just as a bad man, may give good advice.

By: Frito

Frito — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:49:09 +0000

He did teach us a valuable lesson though. Dont hide behind tapestries when stab happy people are around.

By: Michael Sheehan

Michael Sheehan — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:56:54 +0000

Well said, Algernon –it’s almost meant to be funny, I think many will agree. I wouldn’t call it good fatherly advice by any means.

By: Algernon

Algernon — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:40:03 +0000

I like Polonius, but feel I should mention that his advice is often considered ironic. He’s widely regarded as loquacious and contradictory. His famous line, “brevity is the soul of wit,” comes after a rambling dialogue to the Queen. Even his advice to Laertes is sometimes criticized as eloquent, but meaningless. As Shakespeare would say, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” The line, “Give thy thoughts no tongue,” has to be seen as ironic when found in the midst of this lengthy advice.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:43:08 +0000

After seeing a movie version of Hamlet, I’ll never be able to think of Polonius apart from the face of Bill Murray…