The Shakespearean play, Hamlet, is a story of revenge and the way the characters in the play respond to grief and the demands of loyalty. Of all the characters in the play, two of them display the theme of sincerity versus deceit superbly. These two characters are Polonius and Horatio, who contradict each others characters splendidly.
Polonius is the kings royal assistant. He displays the theme of appearance versus reality also, which is ultimately is deceit. He always wants to keep up the appearance of a loving and caring person. Polonius appears like a man who loves and cares about his son, Laertes. Polonius speaks to his son with advice that sounds sincere, but in reality it is rehearsed, hollow, and without feeling. Polonius gives his advice only to appear to be the loving caring father. The reality is he only speaks to appear sincere as a politician, to look good rather than actually be good: "And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. 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. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!" (1.3.77). Polonius displays his dishonesty through his language. When Polonius speaks he is repetitive showing his doubt in his speech: "The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral- (2.2.361). In Act One Polonius gives his son Laertes his blessings for his stay in France, then later on he sends a spy to follow him and keep an eye on him. This shows his lack of trust for anyone, he gives the appearance of a confident father who trusts his son to go off on his own. In reality he lies about his trust for his son by sending a spy to watch him. His advice he gives his son is rehearsed and only said to give the appearance of a loving father. Polonius further adds to the theme appearance verses reality by ordering Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet.