Advice of Polonius

Hamlet, as it has been said by many, is regarded as one of Shakespeare's best plays, if it is not his best. Even in reading only the first Act, do we find a story so gripping and tense, that brings us into the horrible world Hamlet finds himself in. As we know Hamlet's father is dead, by the hands of his brother, and Hamlet expects foul play by his Uncle; which is then confirmed when the ghost of his father comes to him and tells him "Let not the royal bed of Denmark be a couch for luxury and damned incest." lines 82-83 act 1 scene 5. As his late father reveals the truth to Hamlet then leaves him for the morning has come, we find a Hamlet who is in a tough spot: "O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else? And shall I couple hell?" lines 92-93 act 1 scene 5.
Being in the position he is, it is understandable that Hamlet could use the advice of someone on the matter. The person he would normally go to in such a case is now dead, but I think it would be interesting if we look at the father of the girl Hamlet is currently courting, that being Polonius, father to Ophelia and Laertes. We find out that Polonius doesn't exactly believe Hamlet in his love for Ophelia, but I think interesting that the advice he gives to his son in lieu of his departure for France in some sense foreshadows what Hamlet attempts to do: "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." lines 78-80 act 1 scene 3, after speaking of virtues which he hopes his son will keep on his journey. If we take this speech and apply it to Hamlet I think it is very interesting. In many respects, Hamlet does keep with these virtues. As the play goes forth though, he struggles with what has happened and ultimately will meet his fate. It is ironic in a sense that Hamlet himself stabs Polonius, but he does so without knowing it is him, instead mistaking him for Claudius. By killing him is he killing off the advice which he has been living by and dooming himself? Also, the fact that Polonius doesn't trust Hamlet's rash feelings and decisions of the moment also foreshadows his own death, as Hamlet stabs away at the curtain not knowing who truly stands behind.
There is so much in this play and its hard to talk about just the opening act without mentioning the rest of the play, but it sets up beautifully for an engaging story. In this act we see the unrest within Hamlet, as we can only imagine how we would feel if our father died and not long after our mother married his brother, our uncle, whom we suspect of murdering our father! I think out of all of Shakespeare's characters Hamlet is by far the most intriguing and accessible to ourselves; while I'm sure none of us have found ourselves to be in the royalty of the Danes, we have all felt pain on the level Hamlet does and can have some sense of the excruciating difficulties surrounding him. Who can he truly trust? What can he do to right what has happened? Will he ever be happy again? Though some may call him mad, Hamlet is one of the greatest characters you will ever have the fortune to know.