Sage Advice In Shakespeare
- by Aaron Purvis
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
Hamlet is William Shakespeare’s most-quoted work. It is replete with memorable sayings:
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
“The lady protests too much, methinks.”
“Murder? Murder most foul…”
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
“To be or not to be, that is the question.”
“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.”
“Brevity is the soul of wit.”
“To sleep, perchance to dream.”
“Shuffled off this mortal coil.”
In the play, one of the characters — Polonius — offers his son some sage fatherly advice, which all of us would do well to heed. Compare these nine maxims, expressed in a more modern parlance, with the biblical instruction that corresponds to them.
Tame your tongue from hasty thoughts and deeds (cf. Ps. 34.13; Prov. 21.23; 29.20; Ecc. 5.2; 7.9; Eph. 4.29; Mt. 15.11; Ja. 1.19-20; 3.2-12).
Be familiar, not vulgar (cf. Eph. 4.29; 5.4; 1 Cor. 13.4ff).
Hold on to tried and true friends, but be wary of fun new comrades (cf. Prov. 17.17; 18.24; 19.4; 12.26).
Don’t hastily insert yourself into a quarrel (cf. Prov. 26.17; 20.3; 2 Tim. 2.23-24).
Listen to everyone, speak to few (cf. Jm. 1.19-20; Prov. 17.28; 10.19; 18.13; Ecc. 5.2).
Pay attention to rebukes, but reserve judgment (cf. Prov. 25.8-10; Mt. 7.1ff; Jn. 7.24; 1 Tim. 5.19, 22).
Dress well but don’t be gaudy, “for the apparel oft proclaims the man” (cf. Gen. 3.21; 1 Tim. 6.8-10; 1 Pt. 5.5; Prov. 13.7; Lk. 12.20-21).
Don’t borrow too much, nor lend too much, “for loan oft loses both itself and friend and borrowing dulls the edge of” industry (cf. Prov. 22.7, 26-27; Prov. 13.4; 2 Th. 3.10-12).
“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” (cf. Prov. 11.3; 19.1; 20.7; 2 Cor. 8.21; Ja. 3.17; Tit. 2.7; 1 Cor. 5.8; Eph. 6.5-6).
