Christian Waslosky

Ms. Skirtich
11/20/16
English 10
Polonius Obsession

Aristotle said, No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. This quote
relates to the story of Hamlet, by highlighting Polonius obsession with Hamlets changing
mental state. Polonius is one of the main characters in the play, he is Claudius right hand man,
serving as the Lord Chamberlain on his court. Polonius has two children Laertes and Ophelia.
Polonius is a complex characters that allows himself to be controlled and manipulated by the
king evil ideas. The web of lies, deceit and corruption provide a back drop to Polonius
undermining of Hamlet. Polonius obsession with Hamlets mental instability is shown in three
ways: when he spies Hamlet, he conspires with Claudius about Hamlet and when he betrays his
own daughter Ophelia.
When Claudius told Polonius that he need someone to spy on Hamlet, Polonius took the
job in the name of the king. Claudius has this idea on why Hamlet is acting crazy. He thought it
was because of Ophelia. In the following conversation between Ophelia and Polonius it begin to
depict the seed of doubt that Polonius is putting in his daughters mind. That hath made him
mad. I am sorry that with better heed and judgement I had not quoted him. I feared he did but
trifle and meant to wreck thee. But beshrew my jealousy! ( Hamlet, 84, Lines 110-114) Polonius
had bought into the fact that Hamlet was truly loved crazed for his daughter, and that somehow it
became his mission to either make him enhance the madness by getting overly involved and

almost controlling the relationship between them. He spied on Hamlet both by easing dropping
on conversations and hiding in the shadows. He also used and manipulated his daughter to spy
on Hamlet in other ways. The plot continues to thicken for Polonius as he continues to conspire
with Claudius and Gertrude, Hamlets own mother.
Hamlets love for Ophelia was so strong that he would write beautiful letters to express
his deep feelings for her. Polonius in his quest to continue to prove Hamlets madness was able to
get these love letters from his daughter. This quote demonstrates where Polonius has obtained
the letter, This in obedience hath my daughter shown me, And more above, hath his solicitings,
As they fell out by time, by means, and place, All given to mine ear. (Hamlet, 94, lines 125-128)
Not only did he get the letters from his daughter but hes sharing them with Claudius and
Gertrude. The three of them plot and scheme to have Polonius spy on Hamlet next time he walks
into the lobby as he hids behind the arras and has Ophelia as the bait. Polonius cannot understand
why Hamlet thinks he is a fish seller, but in reality Hamlet is very suspicious of Polonius and
suspects he up to no good. The biggest error in judgement and mistake is involving his only
daughter Ophelia into this mad quest in proving Hamlets madness.

Ophelia was always torn between the respect and love for her father and her feelings for
Hamlet. In the end, by Polonius taking advantage of his daughters loyalty things became worse,
and this led to both his demise and her feeling worthless and guilt stricken to ultimately to
possibly take her own life. When Claudius told Polonius that he need someone to spy on hamlet,
Polonius tock the job in the name of the king. Claudius has this idea with why Hamlet is acting
crazy. He thought it was because of Ophelia. Polonius take advantage of her and end up think
worse and end up being his demise. In Act 2, Polonius told Claudius and Polonius I went

round to work, and my young mistress thus I did bespeak Lord Hamlet is a prince out of the star.
This must not be. And then I prescripts gave her, that she should lock herself from his resort,
Admit not messengers, receive not tokens... He.fell into sadnessinto the madness, wherein
he raves. And we mourn for. Although he caused the pain and the breakup of Ophelia and
Hamlet, he ended with a some degree of remorse. Its one thing for Claudius to be deceptive as it
was it motive since the beginning of murdering Hamlet father and marrying Gertrude to become
King, but for a father to manipulate his daughter is scrapping the bottom of the barrel. In the
end, Hamlet was the true sane and solid character that knew all along what Claudius has done to
his father and how the corruption and deceit manifested. It not only allowed Cladius to rise to the
top but in the process it destroyed so many lives as often evil has the ability to become larger
than life if not defeated.

In conclusion, Polonius obsession that turned into a vendetta about proving Hamlets
craziness let to the fall of his own personal empire. Like in the play Hamlet, sometimes in life
what we obsess and worry about the most is not the most important thing at all. We are missing
the forest through the trees and this was definitely the case with Polonius. He clearly misjudged
Hamlet and his intentions and in searching for answers, the easiest explanation was to blame the
madness on the love for his daughter. One must ask was his obsession worth the cost? At times
we may all act or seem a bit insane such as Hamlets actions or even Polonius but it would have
been better to stop and take a moment before thinking before they all act. R.D. Laing quote states
the situation rather well, Insanity A perfectly rational adjustment to an insane world.