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Be true to yourself
- ‘To thine own self be true’ is a well-known proverbial expression which means ‘be true to yourself’ or ‘don’t do anything that would go against your true nature’.
interestingliterature.com › 2022 › 01
‘To thine own self be true’ is a well-known proverbial expression which means ‘be true to yourself’ or ‘don’t do anything that would go against your true nature’. But what are the origins of this phrase?
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Where did the phrase 'To thine own self be true' come from?
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What does 'to thine own self be true' mean in Hamlet?
What does 'to your own self be true' mean?
‘To thine own self be true’ is a line from act 1 scene 3 of Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. It is spoken by King Claudius’ chief minister, Polonius as part of a speech where he is giving his son, Laertes, his blessing and advice on how to behave whilst at university.
The phrase ‘to thine own self be true’ comes from the pen of Englands’ most famous wordsmith, William Shakespeare himself. In Act 1, Scene 3, in lines 78 through to 80, of the tragedy Hamlet, the character Polonius, King Claudius’ chief minister, is talking with his son, Laertes, and says:
- “To Thine Own Self Be True” Meaning
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The quote “to thine own self be true” means that one should be true to their principles and who they are. They should not strive to please other people by changing what they believe in or acting in any way that is outside what they really want to do.
“To thin own self be true” can be found in Act I, Scene 3 of Hamlet. The quote is on line eighty-four of that scene. The line falls near the end of a monologue in which Polonius is speaking about staying true to ones’ self and sharing other, seemingly good, life advice. Here is the quote in contextwithin Polonius’ monologue: Polonius is not one of ...
Shakespeare used this quote within Polonius’ speech in order to later emphasize the characters’ hypocritical nature. Polonius gives his son, Laertes, all of this information about how to behave but he doesn’t follow it himself. For example, he spies on Hamlet, lies, conceals himself, eavesdrops, and more. Eavesdropping eventually gets him killed, s...
Read: Hamlet by William ShakespeareRead: Shakespeare’s 154 SonnetsRead: Shakespeare’s Best PlaysThe phrase "To thine own self be true" from Hamlet means staying honest and authentic to oneself. Modern relevance lies in its encouragement to maintain personal integrity and...
Nov 13, 2020 · In Hamlet, William Shakespeare delivers a timeless challenge through the character Polonius: “This above all: to thine own self be true.” Pulling that off can take a lifetime. We need to figure...
Nov 29, 2023 · In this case, it is the expression: To Thine Own Self Be True. We will examine this Shakespearean expression today by looking at its origins, the context in which it was written, what it means, and how it continues to be used.
