This above all- To thine own self be true.

Hey guys! I've written another post. This one is a bit different, it is not about any reviews of movies or books or bands or anything. This is actually an essay on a line mentioned in one the play's of Shakespeare namely, HAMLET. I wrote this essay for an essay competition and I thought that I should publish it in my blog also. So here it is, I hope whoever reads it likes it.

Hamlet 

           THIS ABOVE ALL: TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE

“This above all: To thine own self be true”, a line said by Polonius written by Shakespeare in the, now and then, sensational plays of his, Hamlet. Earlier this line had a clear meaning but now, it has been given a different meaning, different people think differently of this line. Now they wonder, what is being “true” mean? Truth be told, it can mean countless things and not one meaning will be lies. This line can mean be true to yourself, be firm on your beliefs, not to be a totally different person in front of others. It can mean no matter how much lies you tell or cheat on others, you should feel satisfied by yourself. It can mean it is okay to be someone else when with people so that you have a respectable image in the society but be what we really are in front of yourself. This essay is not going to tell us what the line means, this essay will barely give us a reflection of what being true can mean, therefore defining the line itself so that we can a buffet of perspectives, or better still, make your own perspective.

Being “true” as in Polonius, or Shakespeare’s view is being someone who can protect it’s own image and be loyal to his interests. Amusingly, Polonius’ “interests” are spying on Hamlet for King Claudius. Which is okay to some extent because if him being true to self means having a loyal image in front of the king then so be it.  As the introduction promised, different perspectives.

We can be true in the sense of standing up for our beliefs and not changing it no matter what the world says, voicing our thoughts to others even after they do not like us. That attitude is respecting by some, we can be respected by people and be singled out, and the thing is, it is not such a bad thing. Think it of not as being strange, but being the start of something new, different, a role model for others, starting something other than normal which people can follow, because no matter how much they deny it, they something other than normal, that is basic human nature, that is the reason we were able to progress, were able to from stone age to industrial age, from foot to sky.

We are be true as in having a presentable image in the society, as in keeping up with fashion, wearing latest clothes, keeping a sharp ear on gossips, being all friendly and polite to everybody, cracking jokes and plastering a smile whenever you are in public, and genuinely having that behaviour even when alone with ourselves. Acceptable, because as Charles Darwin says “It is not the most strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one which is most adaptable to change”. It is all well and good because it will come naturally to us and you don’t have to force it up and most of all, we don’t have to worry about being announced guilty of living two lives in your only one life.

Even if we are being all polite and behave like a gentleman in front of the world and be displeased with the whole universe and disdainful in front of the mirror. Bearable to some extent, because who does not want to be recognised in the society? No one wants a hateful man as company. Everybody wants to be someone who people can look up to, being set up as an sample for following and most of all, for once having a platform where you can look people looking up at you with their heads arched high, which is only satisfying if enough people are watching. Oh the edginess of being populous! If these kind of people can look at themselves without remorse in front of the mirror, have no doubts about themselves in the back of their minds and can sleep peacefully in the night, however unnatural it may sound they are being them, they are being true to themselves

If we see this as having two different personalities you will say that the one with being disdainful is being true to themselves. But we should not look at it as two different parts, we should look at it as one whole thing, even these kind of men are being to true, because this defines them, acting in the outside world but frustrated with everyone around you, they are being them, this is their cycle of normal and being themselves.

               

The Conclusion, these people may sound completely different from each other but they have one thing in common, they are happy, yeah even the one how hates the universe, he may deny it but he just likes to take out his frustration in the universe, have someone to blame who can’t answer back, that eases the mind a bit. All the kinds of people above are being true to themselves in their own way, they all are acceptable because we have a large population which has diverse thoughts and, therefore we have a diverse society. No one can be accepted fully in this world as whatever you do, you will have someone going against you, being jealous of you, not liking you because that’s the rule of the universe - every coin will have two different sides. Fortunately or unfortunately it is through these opposing forces that we were able to progress up and have a diverse ring of thoughts. But the question still remains, what is the right way of being true to ourselves? Or, what does being true to ourselves really mean? The answer to being true is being happy within yourselves. There is no right way for being true because as the rule goes, no matter what there will be opposing forces so it’s better we don’t try to be fully accepted. Be true to yourself by being happy and not to be accepted fully. When that is done acceptance will surely follow and the true meaning of being ‘true’ would be shown to us all.  

SHAKESPEARE