Polonius As A Good Leader In Shakespeare's Hamlet

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"To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart” (Eleanor Roosevelt). We think about ourselves, and our actions. When other are involved we must consider how they will be affected. At this point it’s not our own, hence we use our heart. In Hamlet, Hamlet routinely consults himself and conducts his actions and behavior so, as to best handle himself. When Hamlet interacts with other characters, he profoundly values morale and traits. He takes into consideration, honesty, character and self-reflection. According to Shakespeare, good leadership is Hamlet; what he best stands for through his character. Hamlet is a good leader because he displays evidence of the virtue of honesty. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report …show more content…
When Polonius says he’s not a fish dealer (an honest man), Hamlet prefers that “[he was] so honest a man” (2.2.188). Polonius, inadvertently admits to the truth about his true character. Hamlet suspected the latter. His suspicions were confirmed, due to Polonius himself and so continues to insult and baffle Polonius. For Hamlet, honesty is rare among his time and “as this world goes, it to be one man picked out of ten thousand” (2.2.190-191). Hamlet needs to know who he can and can't trust. As a strong leader, one needs to keep his friends close (Horatio) and his enemies closer (Claudius). Hamlet meets up with his childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, after the King has sent them to inquire about his behavior in the beginning . He calls them his “excellent good friends” and “dear friends” (2.2.233-234). Hamlet establishes that these are good, long standing friends and they are not one they should lie to him. They are asked “whether they were sent for” or “whether this is a free visitation” (2.2.279-280). They are invited to “deal justly with [Hamlet]” (2.2.280). Hamlet insists that his friends are truthful in their presence before him because of their …show more content…
“ “Death with dignity” is essentially a code word for suicide, sometimes in the face of ” (Newcombe) great affliction. Hamlet learns of the corruption in the castle and the (true) intentions of those around him and figures “To be or not to be” (3.2.63). He weighs consequences before he devises to carry out a well thought out plan like a leader should. Besides Hamlet's father’s murder, his mother marries his uncle soon afterwards and knows “It is not, not cannot come to good.” He knows he must hold steadfast and “hold [his] tongue” even if it does “break [his] heart” (1.2.160-161). Hamlet knows to take into account all he knows and to prepare. He knows he must do the undesired and reserve, dignity for those who didn’t. Of all things, even when it comes down to the minor things, he will have no one “take from [him] anything that [he] will more willingly part withal” (2.2.224-225). It’s important that he never bows down to anyone because he’s his own person. The King and Polonius are spying on Hamlet while he speaks with Ophelia. He mentions to Ophelia that he believes in the truth of “the power of beauty” and it will “sooner transform honesty from what it is to bawd” (3.1.119-120). Hamlet also recognizes such honor in how “the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness” (3.1.120-121). He knows of the dignity within the power of such traits like beauty and it should be well respected. Dignity is a great thing, and he shares this with
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