Paul Adrian Fried / HAMLET'S BIBLE

Cassidy Cash of That Shakespeare Life podcast fame recently posted regarding occurrences of the word “parley” in Shakespeare.[1] She explains that we may have heard the word from Pirates of the Caribbean films. In a parley, opposing sides cease hostilities, sometimes to clear the battlefield of wounded and dead, or to discuss terms of a truce.  In Hamlet , Polonius uses the word “parley” in an interesting way in his statements to Ophelia, discouraging her from believing Hamlet’s expressions and vows of love. It is clear in their discussion that Ophelia wishes to believe Hamlet’s vows and “tenders” of his affection, while Polonius repeatedly assumes that Hamlet is waging an adversarial war to win Ophelia as a prize and to violate her chastity as an enemy might violate an opponent’s borders.   Polonius tells Ophelia, From this time Be something scanter of your maiden presence. Set your entreatments at a higher rate Than a command to *parley.* (1.3.129-132) [2]   The contra...