Parallels
An Examination of Hamlet and Laertes Revenge
Hamlet and Laertes share more than just the love for Ophelia. “Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love.” These two characters go through the loss of their loved one(s) and have to face the murderer. Hamlet knows his uncle is his father’s killer but is unable to take revenge for the fear of making a decision and Laertes lost his father and sister. This might have bonded them but because Hamlet is the killer of Polonius whose deaths leads to the death Ophelia, it makes them enemies.
Furthermore, there is a crucial difference between these two characters, one that becomes their fatal flaw. Their miscalculated reaction time when deciding to take revenge on the people they love ultimately leads to their…show more content… He loves his sister and his father and is certainly upset about their deaths; especially the one of his younger sibling; Ophelia. He first blames the King for the deaths in his family and even tries to unsuccessfully kill him. His behavior is irrational and the King takes advantage of that and manipulates Laertes to kill Hamlet, Laertes only asking that he is the one who kills his father’s murder. “My lord, I will be ruled the rather if you could devise it so That I might be the organ”. Laertes is quick to action and in few scenes is able to kill his enemy.
What makes these characters is how strikingly similar their plots are and how the decision they make is so different but bring both Hamlet and Laertes to the same end, death. Shakespeare might have done this on purpose to teach the audience that the two extremes in a situation are not good and that actions, although have to be thought about us, cannot duel in them for too long but have to think before
