This is the question from Act 1 of Hamlet. Answer the questions. Annotate the following lines to find clear meaning within this important passage: POLONIUS: Give thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportioned thought his act. Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar: Those friends thou hast; and their adoption tried, Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel; But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade. Beware Of entrance to quarrel; but, being in, Bear’t that the opposed may beware of thee. Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment: Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy: For the apparel oft proclaims the man; And they in France of the best rank and station Are most select and generous chief in that: Neither borrower nor lender be: For loan oft loses both itself and friend; And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry: This above all, – to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day; Thou canst not then be false to any man. Polonius gives advice to Laertes before he leaves for France in Act I. Identify each cliche. How does this fatherly advice compare to Hamlet’s “father figure”? 3. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark: Who says this quote and how can you predict what will happen? 4. Annotate the following lines to find clear meaning within this important passage: GHOST: Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. HAMLET: Murder? GHOST: Murder most foul, as in the best it is, But this most foul, strange, and unnatural. HAMLET: Haste me to know ‘t, that [, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. What important information does the Ghost of Dead King Hamlet tell his son, Hamlet? How might that play?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
1. Annotation of Polonius’ Advice (Clichés and Meaning)
Clichés Identified and Explained:
- “Give thy thoughts no tongue” – Don’t speak every thought aloud; think before speaking.
- “Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar” – Be friendly, but not overly casual or inappropriate.
- “Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel” – Keep true friends close and loyal.
- “Do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade” – Don’t waste time on shallow, untested acquaintances.
- “Beware of entrance to quarrel…” – Avoid fights, but if you must fight, do so fiercely.
- “Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice” – Listen more than you speak.
- “Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment” – Accept criticism, but form your own opinions.
- “For the apparel oft proclaims the man” – Clothes often reflect character; dress well but not flashy.
- “Neither borrower nor lender be…” – Avoid lending or borrowing money; it ruins relationships.
- “To thine own self be true…” – Be true to yourself, and you will be true to others.
Comparison to Hamlet’s Father Figure:
Polonius is preachy and offers conventional, even shallow, worldly wisdom. In contrast, King Hamlet (as the Ghost) offers Hamlet a mission of moral and spiritual consequence—revenge for a murder. While Polonius is concerned with appearances and behavior, King Hamlet calls for action against injustice, revealing deeper stakes. Hamlet sees the Ghost as a more urgent, powerful paternal influence than the verbose, image-conscious Polonius.
2. “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”
Spoken by: Marcellus, a guard.
Prediction: This line foreshadows that Denmark is corrupt at its core—politically and morally. It suggests future betrayal, deceit, and tragedy stemming from Claudius’s unlawful rise to the throne and King Hamlet’s murder.
3. Annotation of Ghost and Hamlet Dialogue
- “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” – The Ghost reveals he was murdered, and it was a terrible betrayal.
- “Murder most foul… but this most foul, strange, and unnatural.” – Even among murders, this one was particularly evil and unnatural (committed by a brother).
- “Haste me to know’t… may sweep to my revenge.” – Hamlet is eager to learn the truth and act quickly to avenge his father.
Revealed Information and Implications:
The Ghost tells Hamlet that King Claudius poisoned him in secret to seize the throne and marry Queen Gertrude. This fuels Hamlet’s inner conflict and sets the central plot in motion: Hamlet must choose between moral integrity, revenge, and action, leading to a tragic exploration of madness, delay, and justice.
Explanation:
In Act 1 of Hamlet, Shakespeare introduces two influential father figures: Polonius and the Ghost of King Hamlet. Polonius delivers a series of cliched moral lessons to his son Laertes before he departs for France. These include advice like “Give thy thoughts no tongue,” “To thine own self be true,” and “Neither borrower nor lender be.” These proverbs encourage caution, modesty, loyalty, and self-awareness. While practical, they are generic and show Polonius’s concern with appearances and reputation more than genuine wisdom. His advice reflects a world of diplomacy and self-interest, aligning with his role as a politician.
In contrast, the Ghost of King Hamlet urges his son to “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” This supernatural encounter is a turning point. The Ghost reveals that Claudius murdered him by pouring poison in his ear, seizing the crown and marrying Gertrude. This “murder most foul” reveals a deep rot in Denmark, echoed by Marcellus’s line: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” This foreshadows the corruption, deception, and moral decay that Hamlet must confront.
These conflicting father figures represent different values—Polonius stands for social convention, while the Ghost demands moral action and vengeance. Hamlet is torn between them, leading to internal conflict and indecision. His eagerness to act—”may sweep to my revenge”—sets the tragedy in motion, but his philosophical nature delays that action. This duality—external corruption and internal struggle—defines Hamlet’s journey and lays the foundation for the play’s tragic arc.
