Laertes’ lectures to Ophelia on Hamlet's favour, which caused Hamlets act of madness, proving the brotherly and romantic love they had for her. After Ophelia's death he jumps in her grave, showing that he can be spontaneous. This indicates that Hamlet's impulsive actions could be more true to his character than we thought, leaving the audience to question whether he may be spontaneous with Claudius's death.
Mixed in with the last point is that both Hamlet and Laertes love their parents or rather parent as Hamlet no longer has his real father an Laertes doesn’t have a mother. They both really care about their remaining parent even if it isn’t that noticeable all the way through the play, especially Hamlet who hides behind his sardonic wit.
Hamlet proves his love for his mother right at the very start. We find it in his soliloquy when he says: “It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” Hamlet here would rather sacrifice his happiness than his mothers and this proves how much he cares for her.
Hamlet also proves that he loves Gertrude in Act 3 scene 4 where they argue, and Hamlet throws sarcastic insulting remarks although he does try not to hurt her. Hamlet starts to loose it and does end up hurting her feelings where Gertrude says: “Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.” And to this Hamlet quickly replies, “Mother, you have my father much offended.” The argument continues about Hamlet accusing his mother of having her part to play in his father’s murder. Gertrude denies all knowledge of this but Hamlet continue to hound her about her father’s death until the ghost of Hamlet appears and reminds Hamlet that he is not to hurt his mother. Due to Hamlet taking notice of the ghost, who she cannot see she believes Hamlet to truly be mad. “ To whom do you speak this?” Hamlet replies “Do you see nothing there?” and proving my point Gertrude says “Nothing at all.”
Hamlet realises now that his mother was telling the truth and so tries to convince her that he is completely sane, “Bring me to the test, and I the matter will re-word, which madness would gambol from.” Hamlet, before leaving gives his mother some advise, to not sleep with his uncle and not let on that she knows that Hamlet is acting: “But go not to my uncle’s bed…”
Laertes doesn’t show great feelings during the play towards his father, however we know he does love his father, as he so badly wanted to avenge him. “Give me my father… That drop of blood that’s calm proclaims me bastard, cries cuckold to my father, brands the harlot even here between the chaste unsmirched brow of my true mother.”
Another similarity is that both of their father’s have been murdered and so both of them are out for revenge. Hamlet, however, is the only person who knows his father has been murdered and so bringing me to my next point in the following paragraph has to make sure that Claudius did murder his father before he avenges him. Laertes, on the other hand knows that his father has been murdered and by who (for definite) as well as everybody else.
The fact that both of their fathers have been murdered brings us to one of the major similarities between Laertes and Hamlet. It is in their role as avengers in the play. Laertes takes revenge against his father Polonius’s death, where he immediately assumes Claudius is responsible and returns from France immediately to revenge the death. Hamlet also has a role as an avenger, where his father’s ghost speaks to him, telling him Claudius is responsible for his death and asking him to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder”
The major difference between Laertes and Hamlet is how they deal with their role as avengers. Laertes on learning of his father’s death reacts immediately, by speaking of revenge, “I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father.”
In contrast, Hamlet, on learning of his father’s murder is asked by the ghost of his father to revenge the death. He hesitates and procrastinates, wishing he had not been asked to complete such a task, “the time is out of joint. O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right!” It is ultimately this indecision and hesitation of Hamlet’s that leads to the tragedy of the play.”
Also Hamlet first has to make sure that the ghost was right and so puts on a play of his father’s supposed death. Hamlet then gets his dear friend, Horatio to watch Claudius’ reaction in the play and then tell Hamlet if he thinks he’s guilty or not. Not only does Hamlet do this but he also pretends to be made as a decoy to throw the other characters of track. Once Hamlet knows for definite that Claudius was his father’s murderer he wants to get him back, however every appropriate moment he gets, he finds an excuse not to “and now I’ll do’t…and so am I reveng’d. That would be scann’d: a villain kills my father, and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven.” Laertes on the other hand doesn’t give much thought to the matter; he just acts: Act 5 scene 2 between line306-307: Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers.
Laertes strikes when he has the chance, he never hesitates or makes excuses, he is not a paradox like Hamlet in the sense that he does not say he is definitely going to kill Claudius, then think about it and change his mind; he makes up his mind and acts, most of the time he don’t even have to think. Hamlet seems to either say something and not do it or just do something and not think about it, whereas Laertes does exactly what he says e.g. he wanted to go back to Paris and he does that.
An example of Hamlet is where he says he wants to stop his mother’s marriage but then he says in his soliloquy that he hasn’t got the power to say something in order to stop it.
Another difference between the two characters is that Laertes cares about the family name (which I touched on earlier) being disgraced, “Or your chaste treasure open.” Laertes really does care about what the family is labelled as, however Hamlet only really cares about himself—he moans and is bitter and scornful to everyone because he is upset with what’s happening around him, but at the same time does nothing about it. Laertes isn’t like that as he warn his sister and does something about it.
Hamlet and Laertes are both judgemental and cautious of the people around them. Hamlet is judgemental about his mother’s incestuous remarriage. “She married-O most wicked speed! To post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor will it come to good.” Hamlet is expressing all his feelings in this soliloquy and here he is saying that his mother’s remarriage has happened far too quickly and that the marriage will not come to good.
Laertes is also judgemental as he is judging Hamlet and has made up his mind that his sister should not trust him and should also be cautious around him: “and now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch the virtue of his will; but you must fear, his greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own.” Laertes is saying that he does not trust Hamlet and that he thinks that he is capable of a wide range of meanings.
Another difference between Hamlet and Laertes is their intelligence. Laertes, although very cautious, like Hamlet, around everyone still lets himself be manipulated by Claudius, whereas Hamlet manages to out smart Claudius by acting mad. As soon as Hamlet talked to the ghost of his father he said to Horatio that he would act mad so that he could find out the truth without anybody suspecting him of doing so.
Laertes is not intelligent as he is only driven by his anger and not his mind or conscience and so it is very easy for the king to influence him and use him for his own benefit. All the king had to do was flatter him with a few compliments as he is quite shallow (I know this from where he and his sister, Ophelia are talking in act 1 scene 3, “but my good brother, do not as some ungracious pastors do, show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, whiles like a puff’d and reckless libertine himself the primrose path of dalliance treads, and recks not his own rede) and his mind is ready to be poisoned.
Hamlet and Laertes are also different at the very end when they are ready to fight. Hamlet apologizes to Laertes for killing his father and Laertes says that its alright, the only problem is that Laertes doesn’t mean it while Hamlet does. While all this is going on Laertes is choosing his sharp and poisoned weapon and getting ready to kill Hamlet in order to avenge his father, while Hamlet is thinking that all is now well between them.
Shakespeare illustrates Laertes to be deceitful, as he attempts to kill Hamlet in cold blood, which ironically results in his own death. The play is sometimes interpreted in different ways, thus Hamlet could have knowingly switched the poisoned swords "in scuffling they change rapiers". In addition to this, Hamlet is dishonest with many characters in the play, in order to proceed in avenging his father's death "I must hold my tongue".
Hamlet here has proven to be the better character as he accepts Laertes’ apology and forgives him. In his anger and rage Hamlet leaps up and goes straight up to Claudius and puts an end to Claudius’ reign once and for all. Laertes’ rise to true honour finally redeems him in my eyes, however it was his false honour, which has destroyed his life and killed him.
In order to conclude I must first review what I have discovered, which is that both men are admired for their swords-men-ship. Both men loved and respected their fathers, and display deviousness when plotting to avenge their father's deaths. Hamlet's response to grief is a trait starkly contrasted by Laertes. Laertes response to the death of his father is immediate anger. He is publicly angry, and he leads the public riot, which Polonius' death and quick burial served as a catalyst.
On the other hand, Hamlet is very private and solemn with his grief. His mourning for King Hamlet is long and drawn out, two months after his father's death, he is still observed to be wearing ...suits of solemn black. Claudius and Gertrude comment on his unhappiness, however it is not until Hamlet's first soliloquy that the audience is made aware of the depth of his suffering. Although dismayed at his mother's quick remarriage to his uncle, Hamlet suspects foul play in his father's murder but has no prove until the ghost discloses this information to him. When brought to the call of avenging his father's death, Laertes is fast to act, he wants revenge and he wants it immediately. His actions are rash, being based in anger, and Claudius easily draws him into Denmark’s corruption. Claudius manipulates Laertes into becoming an ally to kill Hamlet. Laertes is confident of his abilities to regain honour through vengeance: ...my revenge will come.
Contrasting to Laertes' quick response, Hamlet procrastinates. Although Hamlet wants to regain honour by avenging his father's death, Hamlet is dubious of his ability to complete what he promised to the ghost. For two months he procrastinates, and he chides himself for doing so. Hamlet agonizes over what he is to do, and how he is to avenge the murder of his father. Whilst Laertes acts on impulse, and on a tryst with Claudius arising from the emotions of anger and revenge, Hamlet mulls over how he is going to act and defers action until his own procrastination disgusts him into acting. This does not mean, however that Hamlet is unable to act on impulse. Indeed in Act 5, when Laertes and Hamlet jump into Ophelia's grave it shows just how much Hamlet can act impulsively.
Despite the insidious actions of Laertes in proposing the challenge of a duel with Hamlet, Laertes is without the ability to think rationally (and vindictively) on the same level as Hamlet. Hamlet not only wants to avenge his father’s death; he wants Claudius to be eternally punished. “Now might I do it, now ‘a goes to heaven, And so am I reveng’d. That would be scann’d: A villain kills my father, and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven”. In this scene Hamlet refuses to kill Claudius while he is praying because he will go to heaven, and by killing him during the act of prayer, Hamlet is giving him the chance to repent, therefore doing him an eternal favour. Laertes wants revenge; he is not concerned with punishment. He does not think rationally, he just wants immediate retaliation. Laertes is concerned with the physical and the present, that both the worlds I give to negligence,” he declares.
Hamlet however, philosophizes about the afterlife, and whether ...in that sleep of death what dreams may come. Hamlet and Laertes represent the two extremities of the act of revenge: perpetual contemplation over circumstances leading to procrastination; and acting on impulsion and without reasoning. Revenge was the driving force behind these characters' actions and this led to their eventual downfall.
After comparing and contrasting the two characters, Hamlet and Laertes, I have found that even thought Hamlet has his faults he has more morels and a better person then Laertes, although I prefer the way that Laertes treats his family. Laertes was a good character, however it was his hatred and false accusations, which pulled the cover over his eyes and led him into stupidity and sin, which consequently led to the fatal and tragic death of himself and Hamlet.
Had Laertes acted upon the promptings of his conscience, he would have avoided his own death and, Hamlets. Laertes' false sense of honour and pride override his better instincts to the fatal harm of both Laertes and Hamlet. Finally after recognizing his dishonour and admitting that he is “justly killed with mine own treachery, ” Laertes finally admits his fault to Hamlet, informing him of Claudius' plans and offers him an exchange of forgiveness.
I have also notice that Hamlet and Laertes have swapped over roles as Hamlet Started off depressed and melancholy: “To be or not to be that is the question…” whereas Laertes appeared stable and towards the end of the play Hamlet becomes more stable and acts more grown up. Laertes however seems to have lost his grip and acts like Hamlet in his first soliloquy and feels sorry for himself.
Ultimately I have come to a conclusion that both characters are unique like everyone else with a few things alike. Their moods are completely the opposite for example Hamlet will sulk and wallow in self-pity if he does not like or agree with something whereas Laertes would sort is as soon as he could.
Bibliography
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