Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. He is the chief counsellor of the play’s ultimate villain, Claudius, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Generally regarded as wrong in every judgment he makes over the course of the play, Polonius is described by William Hazlitt as a “sincere” father, but also “a busy-body, [who] is accordingly officious, garrulous, and impertinent”. In Act II, Hamlet refers to Polonius as a “tedious old fool” and taunts him as a latter day “Jephtha”. Polonius connives with Claudius to spy on Hamlet. Hamlet unknowingly kills Polonius, provoking Ophelia’s descent into madness, ultimately resulting in her (probable) suicide and the climax of the play: a duel between Laertes and Hamlet.
First Appearance The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke (1603) by William Shakespeare — First Quarto
First Publisher N. L. and Iohn Trundell
Appearance List The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke (1603) by William Shakespeare — First Quarto; Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623) by William Shakespeare — First Folio printing includes Hamlet; Tales from Shakespeare (1807) by Charles Lamb & Mary Lamb — prose retelling for young readers; Hamlet (1868) by Ambroise Thomas — opera; A Midsummer Night’s Dream: and Other Stories by E. Nesbit (1890) (A midsummer night’s dream.–Hamlet, prince of Denmark.–Twelfth night.–King Lear) [Internet Archive]; Hamlet (1921) directed by Svend Gade & Heinz Schall — silent film adaptation; Hamlet (1948) directed by Laurence Olivier; Hamlet (1964) directed by Grigori Kozintsev — Soviet feature film; Hamlet (1964) starring Richard Burton — filmed/videotaped Broadway performance; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1967) by Tom Stoppard — major derivative work expanding two minor Hamlet characters (first staged 1966; early book ed. 1967).
Sample Read Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [Internet Archive]
Description Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. He is the chief counsellor of the play’s ultimate villain, Claudius, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Generally regarded as wrong in every judgment he makes over the course of the play, Polonius is described by William Hazlitt as a “sincere” father, but also “a busy-body, [who] is accordingly officious, garrulous, and impertinent”. In Act II, Hamlet refers to Polonius as a “tedious old fool” and taunts him as a latter day “Jephtha”. Polonius connives with Claudius to spy on Hamlet. Hamlet unknowingly kills Polonius, provoking Ophelia’s descent into madness, ultimately resulting in her (probable) suicide and the climax of the play: a duel between Laertes and Hamlet.
