Polonius's Roles in Hamlet As a supporting character, Polonius's roles in Hamlet are ingenious in their variety and scope. Shakespeare's masterfully crafted work contains such a multifaceted character in a sense of economy; Polonius fills the roles potentially played by several insignificant characters. Polonius plays the wise old man, the fool, the substitute king and the scapegoat (Oakes). Shakespeare's reasons behind creating such a significant secondary character are important to the play as a whole. Polonius' roles add a crucial dimension to the development of the play's plot, the characterization of Hamlet, and the themes that Shakespeare conveys. From his first appearances, Polonius seems to play the wise old man; he imparts much worldly wisdom to his children: Ophelia and Laertes. In the lecture to his daughter, he claims experience in matters of love: "I know / when the blood burns how prodigal the soul / lends the tongue vows" (I.iii.115-17). This experience lends credence to Polonius's discounting of the authenticity of Hamlet's intentions. It also adds credibility to his view of Ophelia as susceptible to fraudulent affections. It therefore seems entirely appropriate as parental advice to tell her, “Set your supplications at a higher pace / Than a command to parley” (I.iii.22-3). Polonius also conveys his worldly wisdom in his speech on personal conduct to Laertes (I.iii.59-80). For all this apparent wisdom, however, Polonius seems more to fit Hamlet's description: "the old men are gray-bearded... their eyes purging thick amber... and they have great want of wit" (II.ii. 196-9). Polonius's parental advice is purely wise, but hardly witty, and is more oppressive than helpful....... middle of paper ...... ames L. To Be And Not To Be: Negation and Metadrama in Hamlet. NY: Columbia University Press, 1983. Campbell, Lily B. "Polonius: The Tyrant's Ears." Collection of papers by Lily Campbell. NY: Russell, 1968. 403-423. Knight, Wilson G. "Hamlet Reconsidered." The Wheel of Fire. London: Methuen and Company, 1949. 298-325.Long, Michael. The Unnatural Scene: A Study in Shakespearean Tragedy. London: Methuen and Company, 1976. Mirror, Ivor. "Hamlet." Shakespeare's God: the role of religion in tragedies. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1972. 369-430. Northrop, Frye. "Hamlet." Northrop Frye on Shakespeare. Ed. Robert Sandler. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. 82-100. Oakes, Elizabeth. "Polonius, the Man Behind the Arras: A Jungian Study." New essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York: AMS Press, 1994. 103-112.