Sc. 1, Lines 1–24: What does Polonius want Reynaldo to do? How is Reynaldo to do this? What do Polonius’s actions reveal about his character?

Polonius is like the champion "weasel spy" in this play. Polonius likes control, or at least he likes the illusion of control. He sticks his nose in everybody's business including his kids'. Polonius likes to know things in order to manipulate people as well. To this end he sends Reynaldo to France in order to spy on Laertes. Polonius asks Reynoldo to suggest seemingly innocuous lies about Laertes and then judge people's reactions.