So, like a good Farker, while at work, I was doing some puttering around and surfing between phone calls and e-mail. Searching for information on Polonius, I came across this:
The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius’s court, a pompous, conniving old man.
Reading that, I was somewhat dismayed. I suppose that this could be an actor’s choice, but I really don’t think that its supported in the text. Reading over the text, I see a man who (a) knows his place and isn’t looking to advance beyond it, and (b) a man who very much loves his children.
I’ve read a few things that suggests that Polonius is a social climber, trying to increase his standing and position. And that is really not supported in the text. The text doesn’t show Polonius as being interested in climbing higher than he is. Where else could he go? He is the Chamberlain of the court. He’s a close advisor to the king. There is, in fact, no higher that he could go, since in essence, he is second only to the King.
I think that this is a man who is very much tied to tradition and decorum. As Chamberlain, these things were the motor that powered his life. It seems to me that his is a family that has often served this function. Tradition and decorum seem to be almost bred into his bones.
I think that he loves his children very much. I think, however, that he was not good with them when they were small. I have difficulty imagining Polonius kneeling to play with the children. Or picking them up and carrying them on his shoulders (Of course, in Shakespeare’s day, I don’t think Polonius’ difficulty with children would have been thought of as unusual. In the modern era - which is how we now judge him, it would be thought unusual). I can picture him, unable to connect with his young children, watching them play together from around the corner, longing to play with them but not knowing how.
Now that they are older, he can relate to them as adults. Now, he wishes to express to them all the wisdom he can give them, and impress upon them the lessons he has learned, in an attempt help them be good adults. His son, one imagines, he hopes will learn to temper his anger and take over the post of Chamberlain when Polonius can no longer do so. His daughter, he hopes will find herself a husband who is good to her and to whom she can be a good wife. The way that he tells Ophelia that her dalliance with Hamlet is doomed is (I think) filled with love for her. He is not being cruel, neither to Ophelia nor to Hamlet. He knows that Hamlet, as a prince of Denmark is not the master of his own future. He may one day marry, but his marriage will be performed for political reasons: he will marry a princess of some nation to bring about a more solid relation with that nation. Even if Hamlet wished to do so, he could never marry Ophelia (as far as Polonius can see). Any dalliance between them is doomed, since Hamlet could never marry Ophelia. He tells her to end the relationship, not because he wishes to hurt her, but rather, to protect her.
Well, that’s enough rambling from me. I’m not actually going anywhere with this… just musing “out loud” so to speak.
