Hamlet

In Hamlet, Polonius says “to thine own self be true” to his son Laertes as Laertes prepares to leave for France. The full lines are: “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.”

Polonius delivers this advice during a long speech about how Laertes should behave in the world. The line is often quoted as sincere wisdom about honesty and integrity, but the play gives it an ironic edge. Polonius himself is constantly spying, manipulating others, and adapting his behavior to please the king, so his actions contradict the principle he preaches. Shakespeare uses the moment to explore the gap between appearance and reality that runs throughout Hamlet.