Reynaldo will nervously stutter and stammer, "Um... I... I... uh, your father... your father sent me here on a... a secret mission, with special orders, to... uh... to find all your friends, and uh... talk to them, and... uh... to say the worst things about you I could think of... uh... you know, to hear how they would reply.  You see?  That's it, it's a secret mission for your father, that's what I'm doing."

Reynaldo will nervously stutter and stammer, "Um... I... I... uh, your father... your father sent me here on a... a secret mission, with special orders, to... uh... to find all your friends, and uh... talk to them, and... uh... to say the worst things about you I could think of... uh... you know, to hear how they would reply.  You see?  That's it, it's a secret mission for your father, that's what I'm doing."

Will Laertes believe that?  Lord, no.  Laertes has already concluded why Reynaldo is there, and doing what he's doing.  It will sound to Laerrtes like the stupidest lie he ever heard.  Not only that, it will make things worse when Laertes hears Reynaldo try to blame his father for Reynaldo's own grossly offensive misbehavior, after Laertes has concluded Polonius fired Reynaldo.

Will Laertes believe that?  Lord, no.  Laertes has already concluded why Reynaldo is there, and doing what he's doing.  It will sound to Laertes like the stupidest lie he ever heard.  Not only that, it will make things worse when Laertes hears Reynaldo try to blame his father for Reynaldo's own grossly offensive misbehavior, after Laertes has concluded Polonius fired Reynaldo.

If Reynaldo had an hour to explain it, he might somehow be able to.  He does not have an hour, as Laertes's grip grows tighter on his sword.  Reynaldo has five seconds... four... three...  He won't be able to explain it in time.

If Reynaldo had an hour to explain it, he might somehow be able to.  He does not have an hour, as Laertes's grip grows tighter on his sword.  Reynaldo has five seconds... four... three...  He won't be able to explain it in time.

Oh, the right way to find out what Laertes is up to in Paris is to hire somebody to follow him, à la Sherlock Holmes and his Baker Street irregulars.  That's how it's done.

Oh, the right way to find out what Laertes is up to in Paris is to hire somebody to follow him, à la Sherlock Holmes and his Baker Street irregulars.  That's how it's done.

Oh, also, about the money and the letters, that Polonius gave Reynaldo to deliver.  Can't Reynaldo show those to Laertes, to prove his honesty?  Nope.  Based on his conclusions, Laertes will think Reynaldo stole the money from Polonius.  He'll further think Reynaldo stole the letters for him, to see if they contained anything he could use to blackmail Laertes.  The money and letters will only get Reynaldo killed ten seconds quicker than Laertes is going to kill him anyway.

Oh, also, about the money and the letters, that Polonius gave Reynaldo to deliver.  Can't Reynaldo show those to Laertes, to prove his honesty?  Nope.  Based on his conclusions, Laertes will think Reynaldo stole the money from Polonius.  He'll further think Reynaldo stole the letters, to see if they contained anything he could use to blackmail Polonius or Laertes.  The money and letters will only get Reynaldo killed ten seconds quicker than Laertes is going to kill him anyway.

Polonius called his idea a "fetch of wit."  From Shakespeare it is, it's brilliant.  From Polonius, it's a train wreck.  Why does that crazy idea sound so good to Polonius?

Polonius called his idea a "fetch of wit."  From Shakespeare it is, it's brilliant.  From Polonius, it's a train wreck.  Why does that crazy idea sound so good to Polonius?

Polonius is a statesman, a politician.  He lives in a world of words.  He speaks words to his servants, and they do things (and usually survive.)  Polonius talks to the King, and if he can find properly persuasive words, the King orders things done.  Polonius accomplishes almost everything in his career with words.  So, when he thinks of a way of finding out about Laertes, using words, it sounds perfect to him.  Words are his life.  He doesn't take into account, that out there in the greater world, beyond politics, there's more than just words.  Here and there, for example, there are swords.

Polonius is a statesman, a politician.  He lives in a world of words.  He speaks words to his servants, and they do things (and usually survive.)  Polonius talks to the King, and if he can find properly persuasive words, the King orders things done.  Polonius accomplishes almost everything in his career with words.  So, when he thinks of a way of finding out about Laertes, using words, it sounds perfect to him.  Words are his life.  He doesn't take into account, that out there in the greater world, beyond politics, there's more than just words.  Here and there, for example, there are swords.

Polonius also has the limitation that he can't see situations from any other than his own point of view.  It doesn't occur to him how Laertes might view Reynaldo's activities.  Nor, in the Nunnery Scene, Scene 9, does it occur to Polonius how Hamlet might interpret what he sees and hears during Polonius's eavesdropping scheme, and that leads to another tragedy.

Polonius also has the limitation that he can't see situations from any other than his own point of view.  It doesn't occur to him how Laertes might view Reynaldo's activities.  Nor, in the Nunnery Scene, Scene 8, does it occur to Polonius how Hamlet might interpret what he sees and hears during Polonius's eavesdropping scheme, and that leads to another tragedy.

So, Polonius misses the problem with what he tells Reynaldo both because of his life-long career, and his personal limitation.

So, Polonius misses the problem with what he tells Reynaldo both because of his life-long career, and his personal limitation.

* Mistreatment of a nephew.  By Louis in his bio, by Claudius in ''Hamlet.''

* Mistreatment of a nephew.  By Louis in his bio, by Claudius in ''Hamlet.''