Hamlet Quote Analysis

Polonius responds to Gertrude's demand for brevity by falling into another convoluted sentence, restating his claim that Hamlet is mad.

The chiasmus ('tis true 'tis pity / pity 'tis 'tis true) creates a verbal loop that goes nowhere—form without function. Polonius mistakes rhetorical pattern for insight, and the repetition exposes how his language traps him in performance rather than moving toward meaning.

Support a thesis that language in Elsinore is often a substitute for action—Polonius uses rhetoric to appear authoritative while avoiding any real risk or clarity.