Laertes

Play

Hamlet

Summary

Son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia, Laertes is a man of action who stands as Hamlet's principal foil: where Hamlet philosophizes and delays, Laertes leaps to revenge without reflection the moment his father is killed and his sister destroyed. His impetuosity makes him easy prey for Claudius, who channels his rage into the poisoned-sword plot against Hamlet; in the final scene Laertes kills Hamlet but is also killed by the same blade, and with his dying breath acknowledges that Claudius is the true author of the catastrophe.

Notable Quotations

"Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia, / And therefore I forbid my tears." *(4.7)*

"I am justly killed with mine own treachery." *(5.2)*

Cross-references

• Hamlet — the play
• Tragedies
• character_hamlet — his antagonist and foil
• character_polonius — his father, whose death drives his revenge
• character_ophelia — his sister
• character_claudius — who manipulates him