the individualization of shakespeare's characters through imagery

SHAKESPEARE SURVEY
Plautus (n, ii, 428). Thus, the classical names met with in his role are connected with the theatre.
Polonius himself, who adores puns, rather 'play-acts' in real life.
"Polonius", writes Belinski, "is a man with a faculty for administrative work, or, rather, one
able to seem capable of it." In any case, he spent his life in administrative posts. This affected his
phraseology. In his dialogue with Reynaldo he speaks of "the prenominate crimes" (n, i, 43)
instead of simply saying "the little sins I mentioned". He likens Hamlet's vows of love to
"implorators of unholy suits" (1, iii, 129).
There is one other theme in Polonius' imagery which reveals a hidden trait which we can only
guess at. He is indignant with Ophelia for having "ta'en these tenders for true pay" (1, iii, 106),
i.e. believed Hamlet's vows. Ophelia is to be "somewhat scanter of your maiden presence, set
your entreatments at a higher rate than a command to parley" (1, iii, 123). He likens Hamlet's
vows to 'brokers' (1, iii, 127). This hidden trait in Polonius, which is not directly mentioned anywhere
in the text, is love of money. He probably had a good deal to do with it.
Thus we have found that definite laws govern the images of the characters we have considered.
As has been said above, we have thereby confirmed the fact that these characters speak in their
own words and not in the words of the author. The metaphors used by each of them have certain
definite themes. We have therefore ascertained one of the means by which Shakespeare individualized
the language of his characters. And in these metaphors we have found valuable and graphic
material for the psychological characterization of Shakespeare's dramatis personae.
NOTES
1. The present paper is a fragment of an investigation of Shakespeare's poetics.
2. Cf. "Shakespeare on the Soviet Stage", Theatre Almanac (All-Union Theatre Society, no. 6, 1947).
3. Cf. From the History of English Realism (U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences Press, 1941).
4. Caroline F. E. Spurgeon, Shakespeare 9 s Imagery (Cambridge, 1935).
5. Spurgeon, ibid. pp. 379-80.
6. Cf. Dover Wilson, What Happens in Hamlet (Cambridge, 1937); Granville-Barker, Prefaces to Shakespeare
(1927).
7. For instance, see Bethell, Shakespeare and the Popular Dramatic Tradition (1944).
8. The usual interpretation: Othello recalls Iago's words, comparing Cassio and Desdemona to lecherous goats
and monkeys. But N. Mordvinov in the role of Othello (as produced by Yuri Zavadsky in the Mossoviet Theatre
in Moscow, 1942) addressed the words to all the characters present on the stage: at that moment the whole world
seemed to Othello to be a menagerie. As the reader sees, both interpretations are possible: all people begin to seem
beasts to Othello; on the other hand, this is the result of Iago's influence, an echo of his theme.
9. See p. 84.
10. Bethell, op. cit. p. 72.
11. Belinski, "Hamlet, Shakespeare's Drama, and Mochalov in the Role of Hamlet".
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