Leaving the Nest
Many parents positively dread the day to come when their child leaves home and goes off to seek whatever they think they are trying to find. Often, there is a farewell speech about very trivial things, like wearing your coat and keeping up with your schoolwork, and calling them everyday. However, there is also, in at least the slightest of ways, some very meaningful truth in it. Some ever so important piece of advice. Some particular jewel of wisdom in all of the necessary emotional foolishness. Whether it be a couple lines from a Chinese proverb or advice from
their parents or something they wish they had known, there is usually some great knowledge found in goodbyes. It is true that farewells are often very hard and emotional, and sometimes just plain awkward but the words exchanged reveal a great deal about both parties.
In the case of Polonius and Laertes, it is very clear that they were fairly close. His father begins with the generic, 'don't be late, don't be late!'. This is a typical tool of parents used to cope with the frightening idea of their child being gone. Then Polonious goes into a lengthy piece of advice to his attentive son. He begins by saying don't say everything you think of, and don't give your dirty thoughts any active response. Pretty basic good advice. Be nice but not overzealous. Make sure the friends you make are good friends and once you know they are keep them close. Don't get caught up in trying to top all the fun you and your friends have. Try not to get in fights but if you do you sure as hell had better win. Listen to people, don't talk a lot. Listen to advice, but try not give it as much. Buy nice stuff, but don't over-do it. Don't borrow money, don't lend money. This is all good advice and yeah it's a little trivial,a little tedious. Most of us would roll our eyes and shake our heads, vocalizing dismissive interjections here and there. Then he finally mentions something worthwhile " This above all: to thine own self be true,..." (Act I, scene iii, line 82). Now, this little tidbit sounds really nice, because that is just how Shakespeare writes. However, the actual counsel itself is pretty basic: be yourself. The fact that Polonius says it makes it a bit less important to me. But, that is a very good tip. Many people underrate the value of being true to yourself. It really solves so many problems that you may not even know exist. The fact that he said it wasn't so astounding, it's just general good advice. What's astounding is the actual idea of being true to who you are. It is very good direction for anyone really and is highly discounted for it's importance.
I myself however would consider most of this to be decently helpful instruction. Personally I most likely will not follow a lot of that. I really should but it is very unlikely. Anytime there is some piece of genuine advice written by the great William I feel like he is speaking it directly to me and so that I should listen to what he has to say. He is also probably right. However, I have never been one to what is wise. Nearly everything he mentions are quite excellent suggestions. As afore mentioned I believe staying true to you who are can solve a lot of problems. During the college years many people are still trying to figure out who they are and they are still becoming who they will be, so this becomes a bit harder. The only advice I probably won't be able to follow in my natural life, will be staying calm and not being overzealous. That is just part of who I am. However, this would probably help me out a ton. It would probably also help our generation to follow that advice too. However, more of the young people today might benefit from being more passionate and more sympathetic and actually caring. There are too many indifferent people, to many apathetic young adults in our culture. The whole reason we are humans is that we are able to communicate with each other and the world around us our emotions. Other things have emotions; animals, rocks,insects and trees, but we are special because we have language and passion and we lack the use of energy directed for surviving we can turn that energy to more productive beautiful useless things. Not saying everything you think is huge lack of discipline in our society. Our society has created a culture that puts so much information out that everyone is desensitized to when they find something actually important. But, like I said before most of his advice is generally good input for having good social skills and manners and things of that like. I definitely believe our culture could stand some refining.
After giving Laertes all of this direction and lacing all of his trust in him, Polonious then goes to send spies to follow him and make sure he is doing alright. So, basically he is being hypocritical in all of the things he told his son. In Act II scene i lines 4&5 he sums up what the hired Reynaldo is to do, "...to make inquire of his behavior." He then goes on to explain this plan to his hired spy. This is one of, if not the first definite action of spying. As the play goes on he reveals himself to be a noisy intrusive old man. Most of the time Polonius is just being a jerk. When it comes to his son though, i believe he is legitimately just concerned for how he is keeping up and doesn't want to be a nag. A lot of parents do that in our own time period for their high school students. As their legal guardian or as a loving parent Spying is allowed and sometimes reasonable. It is not very common to have invasive college student parents. For example, it is much harder for a mom to check their son's phone when he is two states away. It is also very unnecessary for college student parents to be as demanding. There reasoning might be sound. The dangers of cell phones and social media is a problem. A lot of parents see it as a way to stay in touch and sometimes that's true. Other times the adult is having problems dissolving the physical and emotional attachments to their child. It is only justifiable to spy on your college student when you have been given legitimate reason to believe they are in serious. However, most parents need only the smallest excuse to go through your dressers and computers and phones. Parents and students need to know when to say when.
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