Quote Project
" This Above All- To Thine Own Self be True"
Polonius's Farwell
In Act 1 Scene 3 of Hamlet, Shakespeare writes "This above all-to thine own self be true" (lines 59-80) which is said by Polonius to his son Laertes. They are in Polonius's chamber where hes is giving laertes fatherly advise before his son's return to Paris. What he is saying is Laertes should be a gentelmen and not wrong anyone. But the the deeper meaning to this advise is to be yourself. This is ironic and advances the tone of the story because of Polonius's actions; he is spying on Hamlet for the King. This is great fatherly advise given by a person who is not following any of it.