Who would you meet and why - Polonius

Essay by Anonymous UserJunior High, 9th grade January 1997

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If you could meet anyone, who would it be and why --- popular college essay

Polonius, 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 harful to me such as drinking or doing

drugs. Occasionally, others try to influence me to drink. Sometimes, I am tempeted; however, I know that I would not be

true to myself if I submitted. I realize drinking is not somthing I want, nor is it in my best interest.

Being true to myself involves acting in accordance with my values. Imust conduct 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 muself that I will not harm nor create conlict 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...