POLONIUS, THE VAZIER AND THEIR DAUGHTERS
In this paper, I shall compare and contrast the relationship of Polonius from ShakespeareÆs Hamlet and his relationship with his daughter, Ophelia, to that of the Vizier from The Thousand and One Nights with his daughter, Scheherazade.
Let us begin with Hamlet. Polonius is the chief minister to Claudius, the new king, and Ophelia is PoloniusÆ daughter.
In act one, scene three, Polonius tells his daughter that she may no longer see Hamlet. ôI would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamletö (Shakespeare). Polonius knows that Ophelia cares for Hamlet, but demands obedience and insists on making decisions about her life. Ophelia, who does not have a mind of her own ("I do not know, my lord, what I should think") and despite her love for Hamlet, caves in out of respect for her father and says, ôI shall obey, my lord.ö Later, after she tells him, ôas you did command, I did repel his letters and denied his access to me," Polonius concludes, ôThat hath made him madö and tells the king and queen his theory of HamletÆs madness (Shakespeare).
Polonius disregards his daughterÆs privacy and in act two, scene two, and reads a letter sent to her by Hamlet. ("To the celestial and my soul's idol, the most beautified Ophelia,"). There is no question that PoloniusÆ loyalty to his king is far greater than his respect for his daughterÆs privacy.
He then volunteers to the king to set up his daughter and use her as a lure to spy on Hamlet. He and the king will hide behind the curtain when Hamlet is on one of his regular walks. (ôAt such a time I'll loose my daughter to him: Be you and I behind an arras then.ö) Polonius then tells his daughter:
Ophelia, walk you here. Gracious, so please you, we will bestow ourselves. Read on this book; that show of such an exercise may color your loneliness. We ...