Ms. Sanford and Mr. Ambrose, English 11 Honors

Ms. Sanford and Mr. Ambrose, English 11 Honors

Name: ______Period: ______Date: ______

Hamlet 2.1: Polonius’s Values

Please read the dialogue below and…

Circle words and phrases that reveal Polonius’s values. Add marginal notes for further analysis.

SCENE I. A room in POLONIUS' house.

Enter POLONIUS and REYNALDO

POLONIUSGive him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.

REYNALDOI will, my lord.

POLONIUSYou shall do marvelous wisely, good Reynaldo,3
Before you visit him, to make inquire
Of his behavior.

REYNALDOMy lord, I did intend it.

POLONIUSMarry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir,
Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris;7
And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,
What company, at what expense; and finding
By this encompassment and drift of question
That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it:
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him; 13
As thus, 'I know his father and his friends,
And in part him: ' do you mark this, Reynaldo?

REYNALDOAy, very well, my lord.

POLONIUS'And in part him; but' you may say 'not well:
But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so:' and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips 22
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

REYNALDOAs gaming, my lord.

POLONIUSAy, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,
Drabbing: you may go so far.

REYNALDOMy lord, that would dishonour him.

POLONIUS'Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge 29
You must not put another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency;
That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly
That they may seem the taints of liberty,
The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,
Of general assault. 36

REYNALDOBut, my good lord –

POLONIUSWherefore should you do this?

REYNALDOAy, my lord,
I would know that.

POLONIUSMarry, sir, here's my drift;
And I believe, it is a fetch of wit:
You laying these slight sullies on my son,
As 'twere a thing a little soil'd i' the working, Mark you,
Your party in converse, him you would sound, 45
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured
He closes with you in this consequence;
'Good sir,' or so, or 'friend,' or 'gentleman,'
According to the phrase or the addition 50
Of man and country.

REYNALDOVery good, my lord.

POLONIUSAnd then, sir, does he this--he does--what was I
about to say? By the mass, I was about to say
something: where did I leave?

REYNALDOAt 'closes in the consequence,' at 'friend or so,'
and 'gentleman.'

POLONIUSAt 'closes in the consequence,' ay, marry;
He closes thus: 'I know the gentleman;
I saw him yesterday, or t' other day,
Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you say,
There was a' gaming; there o'ertook in's rouse; 60
There falling out at tennis:' or perchance,
'I saw him enter such a house of sale,'
Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth.
See you now;
Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth:
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
With windlasses and with assays of bias,
By indirections find directions out:
So by my former lecture and advice, 68
Shall you my son. You have me, have you not?

REYNALDOMy lord, I have.

Ms. Sanford, English 11 Honors

POLONIUSGod be wi' ye; fare ye well.

REYNALDOGood my lord!

POLONIUSObserve his inclination in yourself. 72

REYNALDOI shall, my lord.

POLONIUSAnd let him ply his music.

REYNALDOWell, my lord.

POLONIUSFarewell!

Please summarize this conversation in the space below:

Based on your reading of this passage, what do you infer about Polonius? What questions do you have about his character?

Analyzing Polonius’s Values

Please fill in the chart below by writing specific traits (at least 3) to describe Polonius. Then, quote lines from the passage to support your opinions.

CHARACTER TRAIT / SUPPORTING DETAIL(Act. Scene. Lines)

After reviewing the chart above, please write a detailed analytical paragraph (with a topic sentence, details, and clincher) that provides a concise opinion on Polonius’s character. You should incorporate and explain your quotes in your response.