"I hold my duty as I hold my soul both to my God and to my gracious king". In what ways does Hamlet challenge this statement then? In what ways does Shakespeare challenge this statement now?

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Alastair Baillie        English Literature Coursework:

“I hold my duty as I hold my soul both to my God and to my gracious king”.  In what ways does Hamlet challenge this statement then?  In what ways does Shakespeare challenge this statement now?

It is clear that Polonius’ words in Act 2 Scene 2 epitomize an impression of order and certainty.  Shakespeare challenges this statement by using both action and the characters, particularly Hamlet himself.  

Hamlet’s individuality sets him aside from all the other characters as the hero of the play.  This is revealed at the beginning of the play when, against the advice of his best friend Horatio, he follows the ghost into the unknown.

        

Horatio: Be rul’d; you shall not go”

This comment from Horatio fully illustrates his whole character; he is a classical thinker and does not believe in encountering anything that would exceed the realms of his experience.  When his experience goes against what he “knows” he exclaims;

        “Horatio: Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason

And draw you into madness?”

Horatio is Hamlet’s best friend and intends to be at the princes side until death do them part. When this unfortunately transpires much more prematurely than he had thought he wishes to drink the rest of the poison from the cup and die with Hamlet.

Horatio: I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.

Here’s yet some liquor left.”

 On Hamlet’s deathbed, he charges Horatio, “To tell my story.” Horatio promises to tell Hamlet’s story but when he get the chance to explain, his explanation hides more than it reveals as it defines the events of the play as outside the normal order of things, “Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts.” This is because he is telling Fortinbras, who is to be the new King and is thus symbolic of order being re-established. Horatio doesn’t want to “consider too curiously” what has happened.

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The chiasmus of the title quotation emphasizes how Polonius has categorized his life; his duty is always to his king, whereas his soul is held to God. This illustrates that Polonius has a very simple, medieval approach to life and is a very conservative characters. This simplistic view insinuates that there are only two focal loyalties in life; that of respect of hierarchy, and that of reverence. Polonius is obsessed with the idea of  ‘for king and country’ and this is the one fault he has. Hamlet attacks Polonius’ ideas by killing Polonius himself, albeit by accident. Here Shakespeare ...

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