Hamlet Act I Response Paper Joshua Eargle 5B AP Literature

Within the first act of the societal criticism that is the play, Hamlet, by William
Shakespeare, Shakespeare hides a magnitude of significant jabs at societal precepts beneath the
tragic events and failed morality of his characters. Although, no element is more significant than
the speech that is given by Polonius to his son, Laertes; or, more specifically, this well known
quote from the speech which states, "This above all- to thine own self be true, and it must follow,
as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." (Hamlet. I. iii. 33)
This quote essentially means that, as long as one is true to himself, then he will inevitably
present his true character to everyone else. This quote is the most significant aspect presented in
Act I, because it invites the thematic principle of the tragedy in which all the characters must
face, question, and decipher for themselves. An example of a character facing the dilemma that
this quote establishes can be seen as early as Act I, where the audience sees Hamlet being
confronted by the ghost of his father.
In the concluding scene of Act I, Hamlet confronts the apparition that has been appearing
before his guards. The ghost reveals himself to be the spirit of his late father, and also tells
Hamlet that the cause of his untimely death was by none other than the hands of Hamlet's uncle
and the brother of his father. The ghost continues to instruct Hamlet in the act of avenging his
father's death. Upon the departure of the ghost, Hamlet states, "Yea, from the table of my
memory I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms... And thy
commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain." (Hamlet. I. v. 43)
This scene is a representation of Hamlet's battle with the theme of the quote, because
Hamlet decides to banish all directions of his moral compass from the past to live his life solely
devoted to avenging his father's death. By doing this, Hamlet is no longer remaining true to

Hamlet Act I Response Paper Joshua Eargle 5B AP Literature
himself and, therefore, presenting a facade to everyone else so that he may fulfill his purpose of
murdering his uncle. From this scene, the audience can infer that the rest of the play will be
spent following Hamlet and the rest of the ensemble as they further battle with the concept of
being true to one's self, or by presenting themselves as something they are not; thus, allowing for
this quote to be the most significant element of Act I because of its portrayal of the continuing
theme.