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Character Analysis: LAERTES
Character Profile – At a Glance
Role: Son of Polonius; brother of Ophelia; a young Danish nobleman.
Key Traits: Passionate, impulsive, decisive, protective, and deeply concerned with honour and reputation.
The Core Conflict: Seeks immediate revenge on Hamlet for the murder of his father (Polonius) and the subsequent madness and death of his sister (Ophelia).
Key Function: Serves as the primary foil to Prince Hamlet, highlighting the contrast between decisive action and intellectual hesitation.
Key Actions: Advises Ophelia against Hamlet, returns from France to avenge his father, is manipulated by Claudius, and kills Hamlet with a poisoned foil.
Famous Quote: "I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery." (Act 5, Scene 2).
The Outcome: Dies by his own poisoned blade, but achieves redemption by exposing Claudius and exchanging forgiveness with Hamlet.
The Protective Brother: Honour and Hypocrisy
Laertes is introduced as a dutiful son seeking permission to return to France and a protective older brother to Ophelia (Act 1, Scene 2 and Act 1, Scene 3).
His interactions with Ophelia establish his concern for family honour and reputation. He warns her against trusting Hamlet's affections, viewing the relationship primarily as a threat to her virtue and their social standing.
Original:
For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting... (Laertes to Ophelia – Act 1, Scene 3)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
For Hamlet and his foolish faux affection,
Think of it as a passing amorous phase,
A springtime violet blooming whilst it’s young,
A short-lived show, though sweet, it won’t endure…
While his concern seems genuine, it also reflects the patriarchal double standards of the era. He polices his sister's sexuality while expecting freedom to behave as he pleases in France (as implied by Polonius sending Reynaldo to spy on him in Act 2, Scene 1).
The Primary Foil: Action vs. Hesitation
Laertes's most significant function in the play is to serve as a foil to Prince Hamlet. Both are young noblemen tasked with avenging their murdered fathers, but their approaches contrast sharply.
While Hamlet is intellectual, contemplative, and paralysed by moral considerations, Laertes is passionate, impulsive, and driven by immediate action.
Upon learning of Polonius's death, Laertes returns to Denmark instantly, raising a mob and storming the castle to confront Claudius (Act 4, Scene 5). He acts without hesitation, demonstrating a commitment to traditional notions of revenge and honour.
Original:
To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil!
Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!
I dare damnation. (Laertes – Act 4, Scene 5)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Allegiance, go to hell! I’ll stand with devils!
Good manners and good will, dig in the dirt!
I don’t care if I’m damned.
His willingness to "dare damnation" stands in direct opposition to Hamlet's deep anxiety about the afterlife and the morality of murder.
Manipulation and the Corruption of Honour
While Laertes's decisiveness is admirable in contrast to Hamlet's delay, his impulsivity also makes him vulnerable to manipulation. Claudius skillfully exploits Laertes's grief and rage, redirecting his vengeance towards Hamlet (Act 4, Scene 7).
Claudius flatters Laertes and challenges his commitment to revenge, persuading him to abandon traditional notions of honourable combat in favour of treachery. Laertes agrees to use an "unbated" (sharpened) and poisoned sword in the fencing match.
Original:
...I will do’t:
And, for that purpose, I’ll anoint my sword. (Laertes – Act 4, Scene 7)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
I will do it.
And, for revenge, I’ll consecrate my sword.
This decision marks the corruption of Laertes's character. His desire for revenge overrides his sense of honour, leading him to adopt the same deceitful tactics that define the corrupt court of Elsinore.
“Laertes is the conventional ‘revenger.’ He is the typical ‘man of action,’ who is not given to reflection and who does not question the morality of the act of revenge.”
Grief, Redemption, and Death
Laertes's grief for Ophelia further fuels his rage. His dramatic leap into her grave to hold her one last time (Act 5, Scene 1) contrasts with the more formalised mourning of the court, though it leads to an unseemly confrontation with Hamlet.
In the final duel (Act 5, Scene 2), Laertes carries out the treacherous plot. However, as the plan unravels – resulting in the Queen's death and his own fatal wounding by the poisoned blade – he recognises the true villainy of Claudius.
In his final moments, Laertes achieves redemption. He confesses the plot, exposes the King, and acknowledges his own downfall: "I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery." Crucially, he exchanges forgiveness with Hamlet, absolving him of his and his father's deaths.
Original:
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet:
Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,
Nor thine on me. (Laertes – Act 5, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Please, let’s forgive each other, noble Hamlet;
Mine and my father’s death are not your fault,
Nor is yours mine.
Key Quotes by Laertes
Quote 1:
Original:
...Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister,
And keep you in the rear of your affection,
Out of the shot and danger of desire. (Laertes – Act 1, Scene 3)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Ophelia, be careful, my dear sister,
And keep affections under your control
Away from carnal instincts of desire.
Quote 2:
Original:
How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with:
To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil!
Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!
I dare damnation. (Laertes – Act 4, Scene 5)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
How did he die? Don’t give me any crap!
Allegiance, go to hell! I’ll stand with devils!
Good manners and good will, dig in the dirt!
I don’t care if I’m damned.
Quote 3:
Original:
To cut his throat i' the church. (Laertes, regarding Hamlet – Act 4, Scene 7)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
I’ll kill him in the church.
Quote 4:
Original:
I can no more: the king, the king's to blame. (Laertes – Act 5, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
I cannot speak no more. The king’s to blame!
Key Takeaways
Laertes serves as the primary foil to Hamlet, representing decisive action and passionate impulsivity in contrast to Hamlet's hesitation.
He is deeply concerned with traditional notions of honour and family reputation, particularly regarding his sister Ophelia.
His passionate nature makes him vulnerable to manipulation by Claudius, leading him to abandon honour in favour of treachery.
Although corrupted by his quest for revenge, Laertes ultimately achieves redemption through his confession and exchange of forgiveness with Hamlet.
Study Questions and Analysis
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Laertes is the most significant foil to Hamlet, highlighting the contrast between action and hesitation. Both are sons seeking to avenge their murdered fathers, but their methods differ dramatically.
While Hamlet is intellectual, contemplative, and delayed by moral and philosophical concerns, Laertes is impulsive, passionate, and immediate in his action. Upon learning of Polonius's death, Laertes instantly returns to Denmark and storms the castle (Act 4, Scene 5). He declares he would "dare damnation" to achieve revenge, showing none of the theological anxiety that paralyses Hamlet.
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Laertes is driven by a profound sense of duty and honour to avenge the deaths of his family members. His primary motivation is the murder of his father, Polonius, by Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 4). He is outraged by the crime itself and the dishonourable, secretive burial Polonius received.
This rage is compounded by the subsequent madness and death of his sister, Ophelia, which he also blames on Hamlet's actions. His quest for revenge is immediate and passionate, driven by a traditional understanding of family honour.
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In (Act 1, Scene 3), before departing for France, Laertes advises Ophelia regarding her relationship with Hamlet. He warns her that Hamlet's affections are likely fleeting ("a toy in blood") and that, as a prince, Hamlet cannot choose his own wife.
He urges her to protect her virtue (her "chaste treasure"), emphasising that her reputation and honour are paramount. While seemingly protective, his advice reflects the patriarchal control exerted over women, policing her sexuality while expecting freedom for himself.
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Claudius masterfully manipulates Laertes in (Act 4, Scene 7) by exploiting his grief and impulsivity. Claudius first calms Laertes's initial rage and then skilfully redirects it towards Hamlet.
He flatters Laertes's swordsmanship and challenges his commitment to honour, questioning the depth of his love for his father if he does not act decisively. Claudius persuades Laertes that true revenge requires treachery, convincing him to use a poisoned, sharpened foil in the fencing match. Laertes's passionate nature makes him susceptible to this cynical manipulation.
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Laertes's honour is central to his character but ultimately becomes corrupted. Initially, he embodies traditional notions of honour: he is a dutiful son, a protective brother, and seeks open vengeance for his father's death.
However, his desire for revenge overrides his moral compass. Under Claudius's influence, he adopts dishonourable tactics, agreeing to the treacherous plot of the poisoned foil. He even states he would "cut [Hamlet's] throat i' the church" (Act 4, Scene 7), demonstrating a complete disregard for morality. While he acts dishonourably, he redeems his honour in the end by confessing his treachery and exchanging forgiveness with Hamlet (Act 5, Scene 2).
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In the Graveyard Scene (Act 5, Scene 1), Laertes is outraged by the "maimed rites" of Ophelia's burial. His dramatic leap into her grave to hold her one last time is a passionate expression of his grief and love.
This action leads to a confrontation with Hamlet, who leaps in after him. Their struggle symbolises the escalating conflict between them. It also highlights the intensity of Laertes's emotions, contrasting with the more philosophical reflections Hamlet had been engaged in moments before.
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Laertes achieves redemption in his dying moments during the final duel (Act 5, Scene 2). Fatally wounded by his own poisoned blade, he recognises that he has been manipulated by Claudius and that his treacherous actions have led to his downfall ("I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery").
He achieves redemption by speaking the truth. He exposes Claudius ("The king, the king's to blame") and seeks reconciliation with Hamlet. His final act is to "Exchange forgiveness" with the Prince, restoring his honour by acknowledging his wrongdoing and ensuring justice is directed at the true villain.