The quote ‘To thine own self be true’ is the piece of wisdom given by Polonius to his son Laertes in the play ‘Hamlet’, written by William Shakespeare. Polonius tells this to his son before the latter is leaving for Paris, and cautions him to avoid borrowing or lending money, to listen more than talk, and to avoid bringing excessive attention to himself. Although bits of enlightened wisdom, in the following context, these words become articles of irony and satire. Polonius proves to be a suspicious father, sending people to surveil his son and daughter, Ophelia.
While satirical in the context of the play, there is actually a very deep meaning hidden under the layers of pretentiousness by which Polonius conducts himself. To be true to yourself is to act in conformity with your nature, ideals and beliefs with which you live, and to refrain from partaking of self-deception. It means having the valor to accept who you are, and not entirely heed to the suggestions of others, thinking you will be accepted or admired if you do. Self- esteem and dignity all arise when you behave in a manner that reflects your values and personality, and self-doubt arises when you don’t. In addition, when you respect yourself, so will society- they will regard you as confident and assured of your opinions and views; this is a trait not seen much in today’s community.
Examples of being true to oneself are eminent in literature. One example is in the story ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee- Scout Finch. Being a young, unusually thoughtful girl, she has nurtured her individuality, moral sense and perception, without being pressurized by the social hypocrisies that afflict her town. On the first day of school, although Scout is castigated and victimized by her teacher’s incompetence for being able to read and write at such a young age, she adheres to her principles, and does not refrain from doing so in order to please her teacher. She continues reading and improving her skills, without giving her teacher any more thought, despite incurring her anger several times. To be true to yourself takes courage, and requires you to be inward-looking, just and sincere. It does not imply that you are uncivil or disrespectful, it simply means that you do not let others define your standards or your decisions.
Similarly, in the novel ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint- Exupery, the narrator had been a child with a different perception and mindset when compared to the conventional way of thinking. This insight did not leave him in adulthood, and was a major reason of his isolation from the prevailing crowd. Rather than looking at the monetary or objective side, he would look at the imaginative, instinctive part. Rather than taking an ordinary occupation, he decided to follow his passion and become a pilot who embarked on adventurous conquests. Although this trait of his detached him from society, he lived by it, and preserved his uniqueness and originality. The narrator revered his own opinions, and refused to change in order to blend in with the widespread populous. He was true to himself.
Straying away from literature, another typical example is that of Walt Disney- American director, animator and producer. He made up his own mind regarding his career and interests, and recognized and almost solely developed his distinctive talents, which have culminated into the touching Disney films every generation sees today. Despite the fact that he faced enough hardships to make anyone revert back to the ordinary, he adhered to his tenets of being singular and noteworthy, and made a massive difference to the world. He faced incessant problems within his family, experienced bankruptcy that threatened his entire profession, and had nearly verged on a nervous breakdown. While the difficulties and debts he brought upon himself during World War 2 compelled him to abandon his career and creative pursuits, he followed his admirable value system of willpower and resolution, and continued directing and cartooning, nevertheless. Although he had been a figure of ridicule by his peers during childhood, and by critics for the rest of his life, he never let their deprecating criticism sway his code of life or his decisions. He demonstrated honesty and genuineness in the face of adversity- highly laudable characteristics that make him an epitome of morality to oneself.
The drawbacks of not being true to yourself can prove to be adverse, as seen in the story ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. Pip, the protagonist, was naturally sympathetic, benevolent and possessed a naturally good conscience from childhood. However, shortly after meeting the beautiful maiden Estella and her step mother Miss Havisham, Pip’s longing for educational and social advancement overshadowed his natural integrity. After being the receptor of a perplexing fortune, his utopian desires had been fulfilled, and he gave himself to learning to be a gentleman in London. This idealism of rising up the social hierarchy led him to perceive the world narrow mindedly, and to forget those who loved him the most- his sister’s husband and Biddy. He began to treat them coldly and indifferently, only to be crushed by loneliness and dejection in the later stages of his life. In this case, Pip had not been true to himself- he had let his desires of betterment demolish his individuality, and had succumbed to the thought of escaping poverty and illiteracy. His disparaging actions towards his family had not reflected his genuine self, and had only resulted in him being miserable as he had shunned whatever had been attainable to him.
Therefore, you must be true to the best that exists in your nature, and live your life undeviating from your aspirations and conscience. We just need to be silent enough to listen to ourselves without judgment, and enduring enough to accept the truth once we envision it. Being true to yourself is necessary to gain self-acceptance, and thus Polonius’s quote- ‘this above all: To thine own self be true’, rings with undeniable truth.
