ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Polonius meets with his sly servant Reynaldo and tells him to go to Paris and spy on Laertes. He charges the servant to find any Danes living in Paris and to question them as to Laertes’ whereabouts and reputation. Polonius even goes so far as to give Reynaldo permission to use lies to entrap Laertes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Polonius is asking Reynaldo to spy on Laertes because he does not want him to get into too much trouble. This shows that Polonius is suspicious and manipulative.

Detailed explanation-3: -Polonius tells Reynaldo to give Laertes money and “notes". He tells Reynaldo to talk to other people in France and suggest that Laertes is gambling, drinking, fencing, swearing, fighting, & sleeping around. If someone agrees then it confirms Laertes is misbehaving and if they don’t agree then he is behaving.

Detailed explanation-4: -Polonius wants Reynaldo to check on his son by having him spread falsehoods about him to see if they are true. It suggests Polonius’s ruthlessness and duplicity. In a play, dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that a character does not know.