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Characteristics Of Laertes In Hamlet

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Laertes is the son of Polonius and Ophelia’s brother, plays a very important role in the play even though he does not appear often. He is an impulsive person who does not think before he acts and is willing to kill to avenge his father’s death. Laertes is ready to get revenge for his father’s death but does not seem very emotional about the fact that his father is dead. Laertes is violent and ready to avenge his father’s death and is willing to do whatever it takes, because of this, Claudius is able to use him to help him get rid of Hamlet by manipulating him to duel with Hamlet. After Ophelia’s burial, when Laertes is dueling with Hamlet he is wounded. There he informs Hamlet that Claudius was out to kill him and he begs Hamlet for forgiveness, he also forgives Hamlet for what he did to his father. Laertes is an impulsive and irrational person which leads him to be wounded and die. He is also a compulsive person who acts without thinking, he is willing to kill anyone in order to get his revenge. He seems to be a person who does not show emotion, but action. When he found out about his father’s death he was not very emotional but was swift to find out who killed his father in order to get …show more content…

Both Hamlet and Laertes lose their father and end up wanting revenge. When Hamlet finds out that his father was murdered he needs more explanation on how and why. Throughout the whole play he struggles to figure out how he will get his revenge. For Hamlet it takes him the whole to play to finally get his revenge. Laertes however goes into action immediately once he finds out of his father’s death. He quickly goes to Denmark to find out who murdered his father and get revenge without finding out how or why. Laertes being compulsive just acts but does not think as for Hamlet he struggles with the idea of getting revenge and having to sin in the process of doing

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