Polonius's Advice In My Daily Life example essay topic

482 words
College Essay: If You Could Meet Anyone, Who Would It Be and Why - Polonius ofHamletPolonius, father of Laertes, in William Shakespear's Hamlet, strikes me as someone exceptional. In the first act, he gives advice to his son who is departing on a journey. Polonius's advice guides me in almost every aspect of my life. I would like to talk with Polonius to gain more insight on life. Along with other advice, Polonius delivers one of te most famous quotes from Hamlet: 'To thine own self be true.

' Polonius's quote helps me make tough decisions. Such an occasion arises when I have weighed the advantages and disadvantages of a choice, and they are equal. When faced with this situation, I ask myself, 'would I be true to myself if I... ' For example, I am temperate, and do not participate in certain activities harmful to me such as drinking or doing drugs. Occasionally, others try to influence me to drink.

Sometimes, Iam tempted; however, I know that I would not be true to myself if I submitted. I realize drinking is not something I want, nor is it in my best interest. Being true to myself involves acting in accordance with my values. Imustconduct myself like a gentleman and use proper etiquette for te given situation. Thus, the quote acts as a reminder for me to act properly. The next few lines are 'and it must follow as the day the night, / thou canst not then be false to any man.

' By acting like a gentleman, I can assure myself that I will not harm nor create conflict with many people. For example, I remain calm in situations that most people would become upset and swear. Then, I am in a better position to deal with the would-be conflict. Next, Polonius covers many aspects of life. He tells us how to choose and treat friends, as well as rules for listening and speaking. We are told not to lend or borrow items becase 'for loan oft loses both itself and friend,' meaning one will end up losing a friend as well as what he lent 'Be thou familiar but by no means vulgar' tells us to understand things that are immoral, but not to participate in them.

I try to follow Polonius's advice in my daily life. I would like to meet Polonius because he has already assisted me in making choices for myself. He could give me insight on other things. Polonius gives his advice as Laertes is departing on a journey.

I too will leave for college. Polonius could expand on the knowledge he has already provided. He could also explain how his advice relates to our time period.